A SAW device utilizing elastic surface waves, in which the Q value indicating resonance sharpness is high, and which presents excellent frequency temperature characteristics and short-term frequency stability. In a SAW device according to the present invention, an IDT and two reflectors are in parallel in the propagation direction of the phase of the elastic surface waves. The IDT and reflectors are disposed to cover the power flow direction, which is the propagation direction of energy of the elastic surface waves, whereby the energy of the elastic surface waves is efficiently confined. Moreover, it becomes possible to manufacture the SAW device utilizing a piezoelectric crystal in which angle .theta. and angle .psi. indicating excellent frequency temperature characteristics are 25 to 45 degrees and 40 to 47 degrees, respectively. It is also possible to manufacture the SAW device utilizing a piezoelectric crystal where angle .psi. is related to angle .theta. such that .theta.=2.775.times.(.psi.-32.5)+6.5 where angle .theta. is in the range of 4 to 7 degrees.

As for construction of a SAW resonator where there is provided a fingers-interleaved electrode (referred to as IDT (Interdigital transducer)) on the surface of a piezoelectric plate such as a quartz piece and a reflector disposed at both ends of this IDT, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 471,616 Official Gazette and U.S. Pat. No. 3,886,504 Official Gazette disclose such construction.
As the piezoelectric plate constituting the SAW resonator, a so-called ST-cut SAW resonator is known which utilizes a crystal ST cut and an X axis thereof serves as the propagating direction of the elastic wave. In this ST cut SAW resonator the zero temperature coefficient that is a primary coefficient .alpha. for the frequency temperature characteristic becomes 0, thus being excellent in frequency stability.
Conventionally, the SAW device has been used as a SAW filter, which is a filter for use with high frequency, so that not so high a Q-value is required. However, in recent years, in a SAW resonator constituting an oscillator for the use, it is important that a further stable resonance frequency be obtained and it is required to provide the resonator with a favorable temperature characteristics and high Q value. Moreover, the primary temperature coefficient .alpha. for the ST cut SAW resonator is almost 0, while the secondary temperature coefficient .beta. is relatively large i.e. -3.4.times.10 .sup.-8 /.degree.C.sup.2. Thus, the frequency change of approximately 110 ppm will be generated in the temperature range of -20.degree. C. through 80.degree. C. which is an operating temperature range of the SAW resonator. Therefore, under usage with the mobile communication, etc., it is necessary to provide a SAW resonator having further stable temperature characteristics in order to generate the high frequency precisely.


A control valve a body having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and a valve seat between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. A valve plug is positioned within the body and movable between a closed position, in which the valve plug sealingly engages the valve seat, and an open position, in which the valve plug is spaced away from the valve seat. A cage is disposed within the body adjacent the valve seat. The cage includes a cage wall having a throttling inlet and a throttling outlet, which are connected by a throttling passageway. The throttling passageway has a radial direction, an axial direction, and an angular direction between the throttling inlet and the throttling outlet. The passageway includes a plurality of vena contracta and a plurality of pressure recovery chambers, which form a plurality of pressure reducing stages.

Control valves are commonly used in processes to control the flow of a fluid (e.g., a gas, a liquid, etc.) or any other substance through pipes and/or vessels to which they are connected. A control valve typically includes one or more fluid inlets and fluid outlets, and control valves can also include a fluid control element or member (e.g., a valve gate, a piston, a valve plug, a control member, etc.) that operates to control fluid flow through apertures that fluidly couple the inlet(s) to the outlet(s). A control member is typically coupled to a valve bonnet that is mechanically coupled (e.g., bolted, clamped, threaded into, etc.) to the valve body. The control member is usually configured to engage a sealing structure (e.g., a valve seat) that encompasses a flow path through the valve. A regulator is a self-controlling form of a control valve.
Generally speaking, the control elements (including the fluid control member, the seat, and a cage) are known as "valve trim" or "trim assembly" in the art. In some cases it may be desirable to characterize fluid as it flows through the valve, for example, to reduce pressure or to reduce cavitation. In these cases, a trim assembly may be used that includes a cage with a plurality of openings that are drilled, cast, punched, machined etc., through a wall of the cage. The openings may be sized and shaped to characterize fluid flow as the fluid flows through the openings in the cage, for example by decreasing pressure as the fluid moves through the valve trim. This characterization or pressure reducing process generates unwanted noise. Currently, cavitation is controlled by using pressure drops and sound reduction is done by cages having a plurality of holes drilled, cast, punched, machined, etc., into a cage wall.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a typical prior art control valve 10 is illustrated. The control valve 10 generally includes a valve body 12 having an inlet 14 and an outlet 16 and a passageway 18 disposed between the inlet 14 and the outlet 16. A valve seat 24 is disposed in the passageway 18 between the inlet 14 and the outlet 16 and a cage 22 is disposed within the valve body 12 adjacent the valve seat 24. A fluid control member, such as a valve plug 26, is positioned within the body 12 and movably disposed within the cage 22. The valve plug 26 interacts with the valve seat 24 to control fluid flow through the body 12, such that the valve plug 26 sealingly engages the valve seat 24 in a closed position and is spaced away from the valve seat 24 in an open position. A stem 28 is connected to the valve plug 26 at one end and to an actuator 30 at another end. Actuator 30 controls movement of the valve plug 26 within the cage 22. The cage 22 is positioned adjacent to the valve seat 24 and proximate the valve plug 26 to provide guidance for the valve plug 26 as the valve plug 26 moves within the cage 22.
In some fluid applications, the cage 22 includes a plurality of passages or openings 20 formed through a circumferential wall of cage 22. The openings 20 function to reduce the noise produced as the fluid passes through the cage 22. The passages 20 are spaced such that jets of fluid that are produced as the fluid exits the passages 20 do not converge to produce noise. The cage 22 may be oriented in a "flow up" orientation (e.g., the fluid enters the center of the cage 22 from the bottom in FIG. 1 and passes from an inside surface to an outside surface of the cage 22) and the spacing of the passages 20 reduces the noise at the outer surface of the cage 22, or in a "flow down" orientation. The spacing of the passages 20 on the inner surface of the cage 22 meters fluid flow to pass through the desired number of passages 20 for a given valve plug 26 position to characterize the fluid flow throughout the travel of the valve plug 26.
For cages 22 used in fluid applications where the process conditions produce cavitation or noise as the gas flows through control valve 10, holes are individually drilled through the circumferential wall of cage 22 to form the passages 20. However, drilled hole cages are very cumbersome, time consuming, and costly to produce. Some drilled hole cages may contain thousands of holes and the only real feasible way to produce passages 20 drill each passage 20 individually drill bit. Acceptance criteria exists that allows a percentage of drill bits to break and be left in the cage and this process requires the use of special drilling machines that have a high degree of accuracy.
In addition to the spacing of the passages 20 on the outer surface of the cage 22, noise can also be reduced by providing other types of flow passages 20, such as by varying a cross-sectional diameter of the passages 20. However, with drilled holes through a solid cage 22, creating passages 20 having a non-linear flow path or having a variable cross-sectional area is very difficult.
In addition to the noise issues, in some liquid applications conditions can occur that will produce a condition where the liquid cavitates, which can cause damage to components of the control valve 10. In order to reduce cavitation to the point that it does not damage control valve 10 or to direct cavitation to an area that is less susceptible to damage, passages that decrease in diameter in the direction of fluid flow can be used.
However, drilling holes by conventional manufacturing techniques to create the passages 20 in the cage 22 wall requires that the holes be step drilled from the outer surface of the cage, which limits the holes to having a larger diameter portion at the outer surface of cage 22 and a smaller diameter portion of passage 20 at the inner surface of cage 22, since the holes must be drilled from the outside of cage 22.
Some existing cages 22 may include a pressure reduction or throttling stage. Each throttling stage includes a "vena contracta", where the free flow area is minimal and pressure is converted into velocity, and a subsequent, comparatively larger volume, where the kinetic energy of the fluid is, to a large degree, dissipated via turbulence; the remaining fraction leads to what is called "pressure recovery". Especially for a water control valve, a low pressure recovery is desirable, because it reduces the danger of cavitation.
In existing cage designs, these throttling stages may be sequenced radially, resulting in a rather large outer diameter of the cage, which drives necessary body size of the valve. Other designs distribute the stages axially in the trim, yielding a rather long valve.


A system for processing video signals to compensate for distance-induced video signal delays includes a camera controller and distant camera are arranged so that the camera controller generates and sends a synchronization signal to the camera, which upon receiving it generates and sends back to the camera controller a reference signal starting at a fixed time following camera receipt of the synchronization signal, and further arranged so that the reference signal upon receipt by the camera controller is compared by the reference pulse comparator to determine if it is late, early, or at an acceptable time, upon which determination a phase adjustment signal is generated and sent by the camera controller to the camera second timing generator phase offset adjustment section to adjust appropriately the timing of the insertion of a video signal onto the transmission line by the camera.

The present invention relates to systems for processing video signals, and more particularly, to systems that compensate for video signal delays occurring as a result of the transmission.
Synchronization of multiple video cameras from a single location for multiplexing into a single video stream is complicated by the propagation delay experienced by both synchronization signals traveling from the controller to the cameras, and the video signals traveling from the cameras to the controller. This two-way propagation delay varies from camera to camera depending on the distance at which the camera is located from the controller. Also, in a color system where the camera inserts a color burst onto the video signal, the color burst will also be offset from its specified location with respect to the master horizontal synchronization signals of the controller. This offset of the burst signal can cause problems for other equipment downstream trying to decode the color video signal. Therefore, there is a need for systems and methods which can compensate for this offset of video signals due to the transmission of video signals between the camera and the controller.


A casing includes a first portion, a second portion, and at least one sensor. The second portion is slidably engaged with the first portion. The at least one sensor is coupled to the first portion or the second portion, the sensor detects a distance between the first portion and the second portion. A portable electronic device using the casing is also provided.

Portable electronic devices, such as smart phones, include a camera module. Due to the portable electronic devices becoming smaller, the camera module is actuated by a finger action on a touch screen of the portable electronic device, rather than a physical button arranged on the portable electronic device. However, it needs time to unlock the screen, start a camera application, and actuate the camera module by controlling the camera application. A best shooting chance may be missed when operating the steps above. Therefore, there is still improvement in the art that the camera module may be actuated faster by cooperating with other components of the portable electronic device, such as a casing.

Casing and portable electronic device using same


A friction stir spot joining apparatus includes a tool configured to be brought into contact with or separated from a surface of a second plate member on the opposite side to a first plate member of the first and second plate members that are overlaid on each other, a driving unit configured to rotationally drive the tool around its axis, a position adjusting unit configured to adjust a relative position between the tool and the second plate member, a control unit configured to control the driving unit and the position adjusting unit, and a breakage detection unit configured to detect breakage of the tool by controlling the control unit to dispose the tool at a contact position with the second plate member or a predetermined pushed position at one joining position.

Conventionally, as a method of joining a pair of plate members to each other, a friction stir spot joining method (Friction Spot Joining) is known. In the case of joining a pair of plate members by this method, for example, as disclosed in PTL 1, a tool of a friction stir spot joining apparatus is pushed into a pair of overlaid plate members while being rotated, and is retracted after the joining is completed. As a result, the pair of plate members are joined by friction stir spot joining. In the case of continuously performing friction stir spot joining of a pair of plate members at a plurality of joining positions, the pair of plate members are joined by continuously performing a sequence including the operation of pushing the tool into the pair of plate members at one joining position and joining the pair of plate members by friction stir spot joining and the operation of retracting the tool from the pair of plate members after friction stir spot joining and moving the tool to another joining position.

Friction stir spot joining apparatus and friction stir spot joining method


The disclosure generally relates to mechanisms to protect hybrid networking equipment at a port level granularity and thereby provide capabilities to specify the protection of client services on a port-by-port basis. For example, in one embodiment, a Virtual Connection Point (VCP) may be established as a termination point for a transport-side network connection and configured as a Layer 1 bridge/select connection to switch among any one of a plurality of backplane Layer 1 termination points. The plurality of backplane Layer 1 termination points may be protected using a link aggregation group, wherein a Layer 2 switch may be established to direct packets between the link aggregation group and the VCP configured as the Layer 1 bridge/select connection.

OTN (Optical Transport Network) is a standard which defines an encapsulation protocol permitting the optical transmission of a wide variety of different signals over a common optical medium. OTN provides the flexibility for transparently multiplexing and mapping synchronous and/or asynchronous client signals (each of which may be represented in their own standard protocols) over fiber-optic networks, including optical networks employing Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM). The OTN standard was developed by the ITU-T, which defines OTN as a set of Optical Network Elements (hereinafter referred to as "nodes") connected by optical fiber links, able to provide the functionality of transport, multiplexing, switching, management, supervision, and survivability of optical channels carrying client signals. ITU-T Recommendation G.709, entitled "Interfaces for the Optical Transport Network," defines various aspects of OTN, which may be referred to as a "digital wrapper" technology that defines a layer hierarchy for payload encapsulation, Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) overhead, forward error correction (FEC), and multiplexing. The result is a transport standard that includes the benefits of Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET) and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) protocols (e.g., resiliency and manageability) but with improvements for transporting asynchronous data payloads such as Ethernet. Accordingly, OTN was specifically designed to be a multiservice transport container for essentially any type of data service, from TDM to packet, and this flexibility is one of OTN's advantages. OTN has been widely deployed for transport within long-haul networks (referred to herein as "transport networks"), particularly because OTN's inherent FEC features enable reliable optical transmission over longer distances.
FIG. 1 shows a simplified diagram of an exemplary OTN layer hierarchy 100 and its associated frame structures 150 defined in ITU-T Recommendation G.709. The OTN layer hierarchy 100 may be broadly divided into four layers: classified as Layer 3 (L3), Layer 2 (L2), Layer 1 (L1), and Layer 0 (L0). Layer 3 may include various packet-based protocols such as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS). Layer 2 may include Ethernet, ATM, and Fibre Channel. Layer 1 can include SONET/SDH, and OTN sub-layers Optical Payload Unit (OPUk) 104, Optical Data Unit (ODUk) 106, and Optical Transport Unit (OTUk) 108. Layer 0 may include OTN sub-layer Optical Channel (OCh) 109. Because various OTN sub-layers may exchange data using a variety of different rates (e.g., OTU1, OTU2, OTU3, and ODU0), these rates may be collectively referred to as having a "k" appended to the appropriate frame's acronym, such as "ODUk" and "OTUk."
Further referring to the OTN Layer Hierarchy 100, Layer 3, Layer 2, and Layer 1 may operate on their respective data units in the electrical domain, while Layer 0 may operate in the optical domain. End user services, which are referred to herein as "Clients" 102, may include IP, MPLS, Ethernet, ATM, FC, SONET/SDH, etc., and thus the Clients 102 may span multiple layers (e.g., L0 through L3).
Typically, Layer 3 and Layer 2 may be associated with packet switching networks, which are also known as connectionless networks. In a connectionless network, traffic flow may traverse one or more network paths between predefined endpoints, where the paths traversed by the traffic flows between the predefined endpoints are not pre-specified. Layer 1 and Layer 0 can be associated with connection-oriented networks, such as circuit switched and/or virtual circuit switched networks having a predefined traffic path, which may utilize Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) over both electrical (L1) and optical (L0) physical channels.
Further referring to FIG. 1, the OTN layer hierarchy 100 can be associated with the OTN Frame Structures 150. The end user services may provide a Client signal frame 152 in a variety of different protocols to the OPUk sub-layer 104. The Client signal frame 152 may include signals using synchronous networking protocols, such as SONET and SDH, and/or asynchronous protocols, such as ATM, Ethernet, and/or Fibre Channel. The OPUk sub-layer 104, which contains all the timeslots in the OTN frame, may encapsulate the Client signal frame 152, and add OPUk overhead, to produce an OPUk frame 154. The Client signal frame 152 is essentially unmodified by the network, aside from being mapped at the source node and demapped at the sink node. The ODUk sub-layer 106, which provides path level transport functions, receives the OPUk frame 154, appends its own ODUk overhead, and encapsulates the OPUk frame 154 to produce an ODUk frame 156. The OTUk sub-layer 108, which provides section-level overhead, receives the ODUk frame 156, appends its own OTUk overhead and Forward Error Correction (FEC) information, and encapsulates the ODUk frame 156 to produce an OTUk frame 158. The OCh layer 109 serializes a plurality of OTUk frames 158, and appends its own overhead to produce the OCh frame 159.
FIG. 2 shows a top level block diagram of a node 200 which may perform networking functions at different layers. The node 200, for example, may function as a dual purpose switch (such as, for example, a carrier class Ciena 5400 series switch), that can simultaneously perform switching on both Layer 1 traffic paths and Layer 2 traffic flows. Such nodes 200 may be referred to herein as a hybrid switch. Node 200 can provide switching functionality to interface client services with transport networks, which are typically Wide Area Networks (WANs). For example, one application could be to provide connectivity between a backhaul network and one or more cell towers, and thus provide Ethernet services from cell towers through the transport network (e.g., an OTN/SONET/SDH optical network).
The node 200 may include a plurality of line modules 205, 210, and 230 having client-side ports (206, 211, 231) for transferring data with a variety of different client services over fiber and/or wire connections (as indicated by solid double-arrow lines in FIG. 2). The line modules 205, 210, and 230 may communicate to at least one hybrid switching module 220 over a backplane connection (also referred to herein as "backplane") represented by the thin dotted lines shown in FIG. 2. The node 200 may further include at least one line module 240 having transport-side ports 241 for communicating over the transport network. Data may be transferred between the hybrid switching module 220 and the line module 240 over the backplane connection. As described in more detail below, node 200 may process both L1 traffic paths, such as OTN Subnetwork Connections (SNCs), and L2 traffic flows, such as Ethernet transfers, in a parallel manner. In FIG. 2, the L1 traffic paths are illustrated in heavy gray dotted lines, and the L2 traffic flows are illustrated in heavy gray solid lines.
The hybrid switching module 220 that may utilize a plurality of switch fabrics which can simultaneously perform switching at different layers. For example, the hybrid switching module 220 may utilize a converged L1/L2 switch fabric. The converged L1/L2 switch fabric can operate using parallel L1/L2 fabrics having a plurality of ASICs, and/or a single fabric ASICs with multiple fabric capability. FIG. 2 illustrates the hybrid switching module 220 operating using two parallel fabrics, where the L1 switch fabric 222 operates on the L1 traffic paths, and the L2 switch fabric 226 operates on the L2 traffic flows. Regardless of the ASIC implementation, the hybrid switching module 220 may supports backplane interfaces both separate L1 and L2 connections, and hybrid cards having dual L1/L2 fabric interfaces.
Line module 240 may be referred to as a transport-side line module and can include one or more optical services line modules and/or Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) modules. The transport-side line module 240 may transfer data over L1 traffic paths between the hybrid switching module 220 and the transport network. The L1 traffic paths may be provided over the backplane connection. In one aspect, the transport-side line module 240 may receive ODUk frames from the hybrid switching module 220, and transform the ODUk frames into OTUk frames for transmission over a transport-side port 241, and subsequent transmission over the transport network. In the reverse direction, the transport-side line module 240 may receive OTUk frames from the transport network over the transport-side port 241, convert the OTUk frames to ODUk frames, and send the ODUk frames over the backplane connection to the hybrid switching module 220 through the L1 switch fabric.
Further referring to FIG. 2, the node 200 may include a plurality of client-side modules 205, 210, and 230 for transferring various signals between the hybrid switching module 220 and various client services. For example, node 200 may include one or more client-side optical services line modules 205, having client-side (also referred to herein as "front-side") L1 ports 206 supporting L1 traffic paths, which can include support for various SONET, SDM and OTN optical data frames, and can include ports for client services such as OC192, OTU2, OTU3, OC768, etc. The optical services line module 205 may transfer L1 traffic with the hybrid switching module 220 over a backplane connection using the L1 switch fabric 222. The L1 switch fabric 222 may provide L1 traffic from the optical services line module 205 to the transport-side optical services line module 240 for subsequent transmission over the transport network. In the reverse direction, L1 traffic may be received by the transport-side optical services line module 240 from the transport network, and switched to the client-side optical services line module 205 through the L1 switch fabric 222. Alternatively, as will be explained in more detail below, L1 traffic may be exchanged between the client-side optical services line module 205 and a hybrid services line module 230 via the L1 switch fabric 222.
Additionally, node 200 may include one or more client-side packet services line modules 210 for supporting L2 traffic flows, which can include support for various Ethernet or other packet-based services. The packet services line module 210 may include client-side ports 211 for Ethernet client services such as 100 GbE, 10 GbE, etc. The packet services line module 210 may transfer L2 traffic between the hybrid switching module 220 over a backplane connection, where the L2 traffic may be natively switched by the L2 switch fabric 226. The L2 traffic flows may be switched to other modules supporting packet services. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the hybrid services line module 230 may support packet services and have client-side ports 231 which support Ethernet, and thus can exchange L2 flows with the packet services line module 210. Moreover, as will be described in more detail below, L2 traffic flows from the packet services line module and may be converted to L1 traffic paths for switching on the L1 switch fabric 222.
Further referring to FIG. 2, node 200 may also include hybrid equipment such as, for example, the client-side hybrid services line module 230 which may process both L1 traffic paths and L2 traffic flows. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the hybrid services line module 230 may be an Ethernet Services Line Module (ESLM) having client-side Ethernet ports 231. The client-side ports 231 may support, for example, 10 GbE, 100 GbE, and/or NxGbE client services. As shown in FIG. 2, L2 traffic flows (e.g., Ethernet packets) may be switched directly at Layer 2 between packet services line module 210 and the hybrid services line module 230. Specifically, L2 traffic flows at the hybrid services line module 230 can be transferred through an Ethernet PHY/MAC module 234, and further processed (e.g., encapsulated into L2 frames) by packet processor (PP) 236. The processed L2 traffic flow may further be exchanged over the L1/L2 fabric interface 232 and provided over the backplane connection associated with the L2 switch fabric 226 in the hybrid switching module 220. The L2 switch fabric 226 may switch the L2 traffic flow between the hybrid services line module 230 and the packet services line module 210. Alternatively, L2 traffic flows, which may be associated with either the client-side ports 231 or the L2 switch fabric 226, may be mapped by the packet processor 236 into L1 traffic paths and provided to backplane L1 termination points 238 (also referred to herein as "backplane ports"). For example, as shown in FIG. 2, by using General Framing Procedure (GFP), the L2 traffic flows (e.g., Ethernet packets) may be mapped by packet processor 236 to ODUk frames (e.g., according to a frame structure defined in ITU-T Recommendation G.709), and provided to the backplane L1 termination points 238. The L1 traffic paths may be transferred over the backplane connection associated with the L1 switch fabric 222 via L1/L2 fabric interface 232. The L1 traffic paths may be switched with client-side optical services module 205, or transport-side optical services line module 240 for subsequent transfer over the transport network. For all of the L1 traffic paths and L2 traffic flows shown in FIG. 2, the traffic may be exchanged bidirectionally. So for example, L1 traffic received over the transport network via the transport-side optical services line module 240 may be switched over the L1 switch fabric 222 to the backplane L1 termination points 238 via the L1/L2 fabric interface 232. The L1 frames may be mapped to L2 traffic flows by packet processor 236, and provided to the L2 switch fabric 226 via the L1/L2 fabric interface 232, for switching L2 traffic flows to/from the packet services line module 210.
Because of the independent backplane connections to both the L1 switch fabric 222 and the L2 switch fabric 226 provided by the hybrid services line module 230, the backplane L1 termination points 238 may be exposed as logical ports on the L2 switch fabric 226 and simultaneously serve as termination points for L1 traffic paths (e.g., Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) Label Switched Path (LSP) endpoints, or Optical Signal Routing Protocol (OSRP) Subnetwork Connection (SNC) endpoints. It is possible that the hybrid services line module 230 have a relatively large number of backplane L1 termination points. For example, the Ciena 5400 series switch can have up 80 ODU0 Connection Termination Points (CTPs) provisioned on a single card.
While the multiple layer architecture of the hybrid switching module 220 and the hybrid services line module 230 provides switching flexibility, the combination of simultaneous L1 traffic paths and L2 traffic flows can complicate protecting the hybrid services line module 230. As used herein, "protecting" networking equipment refers to configuring the equipment so that a component and/or sub-component failure does not stop or unduly restrict the flow of network traffic. Protecting network equipment typically involves configuring the equipment with some level of redundancy so that network traffic is maintained at a specified level within a specified period of time from the failure event. For example, with traditional Ethernet switches, equipment can be protected using IEEE 802.3 link aggregation groups (LAGs), which can provide protection at the port level by allocating resources among work ports (i.e., utilized for traffic flows under normal conditions) and protect ports (i.e., utilized for traffic flows when the work ports experience a failure). Another option is to configure an entire card as a dedicated hot standby, where all provisioning is duplicated on a protect card. The LAG approach may be more common since it can provide port level allocation of protection resources, thus providing greater flexibility. For example, some ports on the card may be used for unprotected services, while other services can be afforded varied levels of protection on a port-by-port basis.
In the case of the hybrid services line module 230, a one-to-one relationship between the work and protect ports may not exist, as the L2 traffic flows transferred within the hybrid services line module 230 can may be split L2 traffic flows and L1 traffic paths. Additionally, the backplane L1 termination points 238 (e.g., the backplane ODUk ports), which are exposed as logical L2 termination ports to the L2 switch fabric 226, also should be taken into consideration in any protection scheme. A conventional LAG (such as one using active redundancy (1+1) or passive redundancy (1:n)) that includes the backplane L1 termination points 238 (e.g., backplane ODUk ports) may have the disadvantage of utilizing redundant connections through the transport network (e.g., redundant OTN trunks), thus driving down network utilization. Moreover, additional LAGs across the transport network may be unnecessary given different approaches for protecting the transport network which may already be in place (e.g., Automatically Switched Optical Network (ASON) and/or Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS)). Accordingly, traditional LAGs may not be optimal if only a single L1 traffic path (e.g., ODU SNC) is desired. Alternatively, protection may be afforded by utilizing an additional "hot standby" hybrid services line module 230 in node 200; however, this approach can result in increased equipment cost and reduced line module utilization.

Protecting hybrid equipment in a network node


A MOS transistor includes a p-type semiconductor substrate, a p-type epitaxial layer, and an n-type buried layer provided in a boundary between the semiconductor substrate and the epitaxial layer. In a p-type body layer provided in a surface portion of the epitaxial layer, an n-type source layer is provided to define a double diffusion structure together with the p-type body layer. An n-type drift layer is provided in a surface portion of the epitaxial layer in spaced relation from the body layer. An n-type drain layer is provided in a surface portion of the epitaxial layer in contact with the n-type drift layer. A p-type buried layer having a lower impurity concentration than the n-type buried layer is buried in the epitaxial layer between the drift layer and the n-type buried layer in contact with an upper surface of the n-type buried layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an n-channel double diffusion MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistor, and a semiconductor composite device including the same.
2. Description of Related Art
US2010/0051946A1 discloses a BiCDMOS (Bipolar CMOS DMOS) device which is a semiconductor composite device including a bipolar element, a CMOS (Complementary MOS) transistor and a DMOS (Double Diffusion MOS) transistor provided on a common semiconductor substrate. An n-channel DMOS transistor generally has an n-type well provided on a p-type semiconductor substrate with the intervention of an n-type buried layer. In a surface portion of the n-type well, a p-type body layer and an n-type drift layer are provided in spaced relation, and a channel region is defined between the p-type body layer and the n-type drift layer. An n-type source layer is provided in the p-type body layer. In the n-type well, an n-type drain layer is provided in contact with the n-type drift layer. A gate electrode is provided in opposed relation to the channel region with the intervention of a gate insulation film.
With this arrangement, however, the n-type buried layer and the n-type drain layer are connected to the same node, so that a great capacitance present between the n-type buried layer and the p-type semiconductor substrate exerts a non-negligible influence on the through-rate. This makes it difficult to provide excellent switching characteristics. Since the p-type body layer is surrounded by the n-type well, a depletion layer cannot sufficiently laterally spread, making it impossible to reduce the ON resistance.

N-channel double diffusion MOS transistor with P-type buried layer under N-type drift layer, and semiconductor composite device


It is an object of the present invention to provide a rubber composition which has been improved in mechanical properties with maintaining excellent various properties and is favorably used for a fuel cell sealing member, a hard disc drive top cover gasket member and an electric wire connector sealing member. It is another object of the present invention to provide main bodies mounted with the above respective members obtained by the use of the rubber composition. The rubber composition of the invention comprises a specific ethylene/α-olefin/non-conjugated polyene copolymer in which the non-conjugated polyene is a norbornene-based compound, a specific SiH group-containing compound, and if necessary, an organopolysiloxane. Such a rubber composition of the invention is excellent in mechanical properties and can be particularly favorably used for a fuel cell sealing member, a hard disc drive top cover gasket, an electric wire connector sealing member, etc.

Fuel cells are efficient clean power generation systems, and in recent years, the fuel cells have been paid attention as novel energy systems for automobiles and home uses. For cell sealing members for the fuel cells, low-cost materials excellent in heat resistance, acid resistance, resistance to permeation of gases and high-speed moldability are desired, and in the existing circumstances, a fluororubber is applied from the viewpoints of heat resistance and acid resistance, a butyl rubber is applied from the viewpoint of resistance to permeation of gases, and a silicone rubber is applied from the viewpoints of heat resistance and moldability. To meet the requirement of high-speed moldability, however, usual materials are insufficient, and in this case, a method in which a liquid silicone rubber is used and LIM (liquid injection molding) is applied has been considered.
Although the silicone rubber is excellent in heat resistance and high-speed moldability, it is inferior in acid resistance and resistance to permeation of gases, and the power generation performance of the existing fuel cells is low. Therefore, studies of improvements in the power generation performance have been promoted. As the power generation performance is enhanced in future, the reaction temperature in the cell or the like tends to become higher. On that account, performance at higher temperatures is required also for the sealing materials.
Then, a rubber composition that has solved the above problems, i.e., problems of moldability and heat resistance, has been developed. This rubber composition is excellent in high-speed molding and is favorably used for fuel cell sealing members having excellent heat resistance, acid resistance and resistance to permeation of gases (patent document 3). However, specific fuel cell sealing members sometimes exhibit insufficient mechanical properties.
As the electronic equipment manufactured articles are downsized and the performance thereof is enhanced, making their component parts smaller and thinner is required. However, if the component parts are made smaller, assembly workability in the manufacturing is deteriorated. Therefore, uniting or combining various parts in one is required. In the case of a gasket for a hard disc drive that is an electronic memory device, for example, a method in which a single rubber or a foamed urethane sheet is interposed by a metal cover, such as a stainless steel cover or an aluminum cover, and they are bonded with an adhesive to unite them in one has been proposed (patent document 1).
However, if the gasket has high hardness (counterforce) in the adoption of the above uniting method, a problem of deformation of the metal cover occurs because the metal cover has been made lightweight and thin.
Then, a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer has been disclosed as a gasket material (patent document 2). It is described that because the styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer has low hardness and needs no vulcanizing step differently from the rubber materials, simplification of the production process and recycling are possible.
However, because of generation of heat due to enhancement of performance (high rotational speed) of the hard disc drive and because of adoption of such a material in automobiles, the material tends to be exposed to higher temperatures (particularly not lower than 80° C.) in the use environment. In such environment, the conventional styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer suffers a problem of permanent set at high temperatures that is one of mechanical properties, and there is limitation on the performance.
Electric wire connectors serve to connect and branch electric wires, and comprise a pair of male and female resin frames capable of being connected through one-touch operation, an electric wire and a sealing member. The sealing member is mainly used as a dust seal between the electric wire and the resin frame. For the electric wire connector sealing member applied to use of this kind, sealing properties against thin electric wires and insertion properties are required, and in the past, a silicone rubber and a nitrile rubber, which are of low hardness and oil-bleeding type, have been employed.
These rubbers, however, mainly contain a silicone oil as a plasticizer and therefore have a problem that the plasticizer adheres to electric contact points during the use to cause insulation at the electric contact points and thereby bring about troubles in the flow of electric current.
Then, a rubber composition that has solved the above problem has been developed and favorably used for electric wire connector sealing members (patent document 3).
However, a requirement of enhancing mechanical properties for the electric wire connectors has been also increased. In the case of the conventional sealing members, the crosslinking rate after vacuum defoaming is sometimes lowered, and in addition, mechanical properties are insufficient. Therefore, improvement of properties has been desired.
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent No. 2517797
Patent document 2: Japanese Patent No. 2961068
Patent document 3: International Publication WO 03/057777


A user interactive custom nail polish color and effects dispensing system and method of doing business, including for both point of sale and remote (e.g., via internet) transactions.

Historically the cosmetics industry has afforded consumers a broad variety of choices for colors (including tones, shades or hues) and effects. In the typical scenario, these products are pre-packaged according to a predetermined fixed amount of different colors or effects. The products are then ordinarily displayed to reveal a spectrum of a fixed number of colors. However, because of manufacturing and other practical limitations, point of sale displays only afford a finite number of selections for the consumer. Consequently, the consumer's choice of color will be limited by present availability or supply of a particular color choice, and also particularly by the specific colors chosen for sale in advance by the manufacturer. The consumer is afforded no practical opportunity to custom blend a color selection.
This has become a particularly acute issue in the field of nail polishes, where point of sale displays typically offer a finite selection of colors, and most often, confined to a range of white to red to black. Thus, for instance, a manufacturer may offer 48 different colors at a point of sale display. Moreover, the nail polishes are offered as previously dispensed and packaged items, some of which are further sealed in additional protective packaging. For sake of discussion, assume a number is assigned to each of the 48 different colors (e.g., 1 for white, 24 for primary red, 48 for black, and the remaining integers from 1–48 to correspond to the intermediate shades or tones). A consumer may desire to purchase the color corresponding to the number 21. If the point of sale display does not have a stock of that number, the consumer is faced with selecting a second choice. Likewise, the consumer might like numbers 27 and 28, but would prefer a mixture of the two (e.g. what would thus correspond to a number 27.5), the consumer will be also prevented from purchasing her first choice of colors.
In recent years, it has also become popular to modify the ultimate visual appearance of a manicure by the addition of effects over some or all of a nail, such as a metallic effect, sparkles, shapes (e.g., hearts, stars, etc.), texture or the like.
Frequently, these must be purchased and applied separately from an underlying base coat. Once again, the consumer is faced with a finite selection and will be limited in choice by availability at the point of sale.
In view of the foregoing, a need has developed for a custom cosmetic color selection system, pursuant to which a consumer or other customer (such as an intermediate retailer or wholesaler) can interact with the supplier to select a specific color, effect or both, to blend the resulting cosmetic product at or near the time of selection (e.g. on site at a point of sale location, or remotely such as by mail order, phone order or internet purchase).
Of potential interest to this application are U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,407 (Galazin); U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,112 (Flynn et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,426 (Galazin); U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,809 (Meehan); U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,750 (Gouriou et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,901 (Abrahamian); U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,750 (Gouriou et al); U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,341 (Hirsch et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,693 (Gunderman et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,109 (Tobiason); U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,238 (Gourtou et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,267 (MacFarlane et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,293 (MacFarlane et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,850 (Fabbri et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,271 (Grayson et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 2,417,677 (Cohan); and U.S. Pat. No. 2,393,371 (Harris), hereby incorporated by reference.


An apparatus for reducing signal degradation, propagation delay, and electromagnetic emission problems inherent in transmission of electrical signals along interconnect lines (such as lines which connect transistors in integrated circuits). The apparatus includes one or more pairs of generally parallel interconnect lines. Each line in each pair comprises line sections, and an inverter is connected between each pair of adjacent sections of each line. The inverters are arranged in staggered fashion, in the sense that the inverters connected along each line of a line pair are offset longitudinally from the inverters connected along the other line of the pair. Both bidirectional and unidirectional buses (groups of generally parallel interconnect line pairs) can be implemented in accordance with the invention. The invention can serve as the basis for increasing the speed of computers and other electrical devices, and permits tight packing of transistors and interconnect lines with minimal crosstalk between the lines.

Modern computers and other electrical devices use integrated circuits composed of transistors, other components, and interconnections. In the past, one of the principal limitations on the computational speed of computers, and the operational speed of other devices, was the rate at which their component transistors could switch between logic states. As the switching speed of transistors has improved, the overall speed of computers and other devices has become limited by other factors.
One of these limiting factors is the speed with which signals are transmitted between the individual transistors which comprise an integrated circuit. During transmission of signals along parallel lines between transistors and other elements, the signal strength, propagation time, and propagation environment are affected by a variety of physical mechanisms. The present invention reduces or eliminates the effects of certain of these mechanisms, thereby improving the speed and other operating characteristics of devices in which signals are transmitted along parallel lines.
The strength of a signal transmitted along a line degrades due to resistance losses along the propagation path. In addition, the signal propagation time between two elements connected by a line depends on the resistance and capacitance of the line (the delay depends on the resistance-capacitance product, or "RC" product, of the interconnect line).
A further problem is that a signal propagating along a first line induces electromagnetic fields in adjacent parallel lines due to electromagnetic coupling. This "crosstalk" between the lines increases the noise and reduces the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal transmitted through the first line. Crosstalk interferes with the intended signal transmission and degrades the operational characteristics of the device.
Another problem that may affect the marketability of a product is that certification from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is often a prerequisite for sale of a product, is dependent on the level of ambient electromagnetic radiation produced by its wires and components. Therefore it is important in designing a device to reduce the level of emissions generated by the device. Since wires carrying a time varying current produce electromagnetic radiation, the structure of transistor interconnection lines can affect the level of emissions, and hence the likelihood that a device will receive FCC certification.
Another problem with transmission of voltage signals between voltage inverters along parallel lines is that even mode propagation of the signals (which occurs when the signals propagating along corresponding segments of the lines undergo simultaneous transitions from higher to lower or lower to higher voltage states), results in faster propagation than odd mode propagation of the signals (which occurs when each transition of a bilevel signal in one line from a first voltage state to second voltage state occurs at the same time that the signal propagating along a corresponding segment of a parallel line undergoes a transition from the second state to the first state). This asymmetry in propagation time (between odd and even mode propagation) can affect the operation of a device which relies on synchronous switching of components between states, because the triggering signals for the switching may not propagate along two interconnect lines in the same amount of time, depending on the operating mode of the device. This affects the development and utility of integrated circuits since it means that the possibility of both even and odd mode propagation must be taken into account when the circuit is designed.
The problems noted above affect the operational performance of computers and other electrical devices, and can determine whether the device's characteristics make it desirable to the user. Several conventional approaches have been used in attempts to overcome some of the problems (but not all of them at one time), to transmit signals efficiently between separated circuit elements of a printed circuit board or integrated circuit.
One conventional method is to use a driver circuit which overcomes the inherent losses along a line by amplifying the signal before it is sent through a line (for example, a line connecting two transistors). This addresses signal degradation problems, but does not resolve the other abovementioned problems. Indeed, use of a driver can increase (rather than decrease) electromagnetic emissions, and does not address the problem of propagation time dependence on even or odd propagation mode.
Because both the resistance (R) and capacitance (C) of an interconnect line increases linearly with line length, the propagation delay (proportional to the product RC) is proportional to the square of the line length. Another conventional method exploits this phenomenon by breaking an interconnect line into multiple (shorter) line sections, and connecting a repeater circuit (such as an inverter) between each pair of adjacent line sections, so that a voltage signal will propagate from repeater to repeater down the line.
Connection of repeaters in this manner breaks the line into smaller sections whose delay times add together arithmetically to give the total line delay. This results in a total delay time for the line which is proportional to its length instead of the square of its length. Use of repeaters is described in Bakoglu, Circuits, Interconnections, and Packaging for VLSI, Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., 1990, which also discusses alternative conventional approaches to reducing distributed RC delays along interconnect lines.
However, even if repeaters are employed to break a line into segments, some of the above-described problems remain. While signal degradation is lessened, propagation delay is improved, and crosstalk is reduced under certain conditions, conventional use of repeaters does not significantly reduce electromagnetic emissions or address the propagation time asymmetry problem, and crosstalk can still be a problem. In addition, conventional use of repeaters can affect the ultimate size of a device since they increase the amount of packing room necessary for each interconnect line.
Another conventional method that has been used to address the RC delay problem is to reduce interconnection resistance by using aluminum lines in conjunction with a hierarchy of interconnect levels on an integrated circuit. Aluminum is a desirable material for forming interconnect lines because of its low resistance. The shorter, local interconnections on the same level of the circuit can be of one cross-sectional shape of aluminum, and those between different levels of the circuit can utilize aluminum whose cross-section has been optimized (by making it wider and thicker) to reduce the RC product for the lines. This approach solves some of the above-mentioned problems, at least on a global level, but increases the complexity of the design task and fails to address some of the problems.
The present invention significantly reduces or eliminates all of the above-mentioned problems, enabling signals to be transmitted along pairs of generally parallel lines (e.g., between transistors) faster and more efficiently, with minimal effect on the packing requirements for devices which embody the invention. This results in enhanced performance for devices which incorporate multiple, connected transistors. It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for solving the problems inherent in the use of long interconnect lines without the drawbacks and limitations of conventional use of drivers or repeaters.

Apparatus for improving signal transmission along parallel lines


A device for aligning plate-like workpieces traveling in a machine direction in a machine processing them, more particularly in a folder-gluer, comprising an upper aligner and a lower aligner. The lower aligner is equipped, on the one hand with a guiding member mounted on a lower guide, and on the other hand with a lower conveyor having at least one useful portion which is fixedly attached to an upper guide movable in the horizontal plane with respect to the lower guide. The lower and upper guides form a bearing element unit, which is weakened by an opening extending between the guides.

The present invention refers to a device for aligning plate-like workpieces in a machine processing them, more particularly in a machine manufacturing packaging such as a folder-gluer.
Such a machine is commonly used for manufacturing, for example, cardboard boxes from plate-like workpieces also called box blanks. These plate-like workpieces generally result from the diecutting of a sheet or a web by another machine in a series of preceding operations. A folder-gluer generally comprises a succession of modules, each carrying out a determined operation so that the blanks, introduced at the machine entry, leaves in the shape of folded boxes ready to use. To this end, a folder-gluer generally comprises a feeder supplying the machine with box blanks from a pile of blanks. The conveying of these blanks into the various modules of the machine is carried out by a belt conveyor which, via friction, seizes the blanks, either between lower and upper belts or between lower belts and upper pressure rollers. Typically, the operations carried out in the machine are: the prebreaking of certain folding lines of the blank, the folding of certain parts, the gluing of the glue tabs, the pressing of the folded and glued blanks and their delivery at the end of the production line.
To achieve an accurate folding along the creasing lines provided for this purpose on each blank, it is necessary to correctly introduce these blanks into the machine and then to prevent any sliding during their transport. Thus, the first problem the skilled man is faced with is that of the introduction of these blanks into the machine. Effectively, it is essential that their position laterally as well as longitudinally is in perfect register with the previous folding members. Thus, the sequential feeding of the blanks into the machine is carried out from a pile from which the plate-like workpieces are drawn off one by one from the bottom of the pile. The blanks are driven forward by friction of the belts on each blank located in turn at the bottom of the pile whereas a front gauge in front of the pile defines a just sufficient space, between its lower edge and the plane of the conveyor, so that only one blank can there be introduced at the same time. The box blank in the course of introduction temporarily blocks the space between the lower end of the gauge and the surface of the belt conveyor in order to prevent departure of the next blank until the rear edge of the blank in the course of introduction has left the space under the gauge. Due to the fact that the frictional force between the blank at the bottom of the pile and the belts is much greater than that between two blanks, even the blanks located at the bottom of the pile, the introduction can be controlled perfectly. However, these friction forces naturally generate wear of the blanks causing cardboard dust which finally dirties the driving belts and can influence the adherence of the plate-like workpieces. According to the size of the box blanks, a plurality of belts may be arranged parallel to one another in order to ensure transport of the blanks. However, due to the dirt accumulation of these belts, an imbalance of the frictional forces between the plate-like workpiece and each of these belts is possible. These differences in the forces create a moment which, when applied on the blank, will tend to turn it in the horizontal plane and therefore to introduce it askew in an incorrect orientation.
Aligning devices are used to correct this problem, which force each badly introduced blank to align along a reference line in a correct orientation. This aligning operation is obviously carried out before the prebreaking of the blank folds. To carry out such an operation, it is known to use the drive of a belt placed slightly askew with respect to the longitudinal axis of the machine so as to force the blanks to align against a longitudinal reference edge. U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,266 describes a feed table equipped with an endless belt for driving sheets of paper or cardboard. The arrangement of this belt is such that it defines an acute angle between its orientation and the longitudinal edge of the machine. Owing to this oblique orientation, the sheets are driven, before leaving the feed table, towards a support rule parallel to the longitudinal edge of the machine. Thus, all the sheets can be aligned on the feed table along this support rule. In order to ensure a sufficient friction between the sheets and the belt, a plurality of pressure rollers are arranged along a bar placed above the driving belt. The whole is arranged in a carriage which is movable in the lateral direction so as to be adaptable to the various possible sheet sizes. The orientation of the belt can vary owing to the arrangement of a bearing supporting one of the end pulleys of the driving belt and swivelling around a vertical axis. The bar supporting the pressure rollers is also swivelling so that it can be oriented according to the same angle than that of the driving belt.
Swiss Patent CH 678,707 describes another device for aligning box blanks comprising a movable longitudinal guiding rail, a lower endless belt driven and supported by rollers, and a succession of upper rollers, each mounted swivelling vertically and horizontally so that it is not only possible to lower or raise each roller in order to adjust the pressure on the blank, but also to independently orient each of them in a chosen direction. Having numerous adjustment possibilities, this device has the drawback of being particularly expensive and complicated to realize. Moreover, due to the numerous adjustment possibilities, it can require the device be handled a relatively long time.
Another device for aligning box blanks is described in EP 610,791. In addition to a longitudinal guiding rail fixedly attached to a fixed part of the frame, this device comprises a lower conveyor mounted on a lower longitudinal bar and, in correspondence, an upper conveyor secured by adjusting means to an upper longitudinal bar. A bracket connects the lower longitudinal bar to the upper longitudinal bar so that the angular adjustment of the lower and upper conveyors can be carried out simultaneously. To this end, one of the ends of the lower longitudinal bar is mounted swivelling in the horizontal plane on a fixed part of the frame by means of a pivot with vertical axis. At the opposite end, a device comprising screws and threaded ring allows removing this end from the longitudinal guiding rail and hence to vary the angle of orientation of the pair of lower and upper conveyors with respect to the longitudinal reference axis.
The main problems of the previously described devices are on the one hand their production cost and on the other hand it is impossible to use them interchangeably on the left or on the right side of the machine. Effectively, according to the box type to be realized, the box blanks should sometimes be aligned on the left side of the machine rather than on the right side, in accordance with the position of the gluing tab of the blank. To enable this changeover, the machine should specifically be equipped with an aligning device designed for an alignment on the left side, for example, whereas in most cases, the alignment is made on the right side of the machine with respect to the traveling direction of the blanks. However, due to their design, currently known devices cannot be used for aligning blanks at choice on the left or the right side of the machine. In the device illustrated in EP 610,791, this impossibility is due to the fact that the pivot point is arranged beside a vertical base plate, at half height of that one, being used as fixed structure for the aligning device. Due to this fact, the lower conveyor can be removed only on one side from the vertical base plate and can thus align only on the right side or only on the left side according to its design. Effectively, it is precisely because of its design, namely the arrangement and the space requirement at the same time of its bearing structure, the return rollers and the path of the belt, that the aligner members of such an aligning device cannot be positioned angularly on one side or the other according to the needs.

Device for aligning plate-like workpieces in a machine processing them


A thermotherapy device includes a therapy unit (2) with housing having sidewalls surrounding a lying surface, a support device (8) that supports the therapy unit (2) and a heating device (7) for heating an area of the surrounded lying surface. The housing of the therapy unit (2) is open at the bottom. The support device (8) has a base wall arrangement (10) fixedly connected thereto which completes and locks the housing open at the bottom of the therapy unit to form a housing closed off at the bottom in the closed position of the therapy unit. The therapy unit (2) is mounted pivotably on one side in relation the base wall arrangement (10). The therapy unit (2) is pivotable between the closed position with the housing closed and an open position remote from the base wall arrangement, in which position the components in an interior of the housing are accessible.

Such a thermotherapy device is known, for example, from EP 1 060 727 A1. Such thermotherapy devices are used, for example, as incubators for the nursing care for premature infants. The therapy unit may also be provided with a hood, which is closed in case of closed nursing care and is open in case of open nursing care. The heating device may be a radiant heater in case of an open therapy unit and a convection heater in case of a therapy unit closed with a hood.
Various maintenance procedures need to be performed during the service life of a thermotherapy device. Parts subject to wear are to be replaced regularly or defective components are to be replaced in case of failure. The device cannot be used by the user during the maintenance procedures. This means for the user, for example, the hospital, that the thermotherapy device is not available during the maintenance time even in urgent cases. Depending on the scope of the maintenance procedures and the duration of the maintenance procedure, this may lead to long down times. Not only does this result in costs for the hospital, but it leads to irregularities that cannot be planned for both the staff and the premature infant requiring the thermotherapy device. To ensure the nursing care of premature infants, a larger fleet of thermotherapy devices must be maintained in order to have a sufficient number of ready-to-use devices available even in case of maintenance procedures being performed on individual thermotherapy devices. To keep these inconveniences as low as possible, the devices should become suitable for use again as quickly as possible in case of maintenance or repair. All electric components, parts, cables, etc., must be able to be reached and replaced quickly and reliably for this purpose. Since the service technician performs these maintenance or repair procedures on site on the client's premises, he has to be able to perform the activities in a simple manner, without great effort and in a reliable manner. Very good accessibility to all components affected, which are located in the interior of the housing, is a prerequisite for the ability to perform the maintenance or repair procedures with replacement of one or more components reliably and quickly.
For example, flaps are provided on the housing of the therapy unit of the thermotherapy device at the bottom in conventional thermotherapy devices. These flaps can be opened, for example, by folding the flaps away downwardly, as is shown in FIG. 8, after which the service technician has access from the bottom to the components located in the interior of the housing of the thermotherapy device or to components on the inside of the folded-up lower flap. Prior-art thermotherapy devices, which are similar, in principle, and are known from the state of the art, are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, where a bottom 22 of the housing is detachable in FIG. 6. The base wall 24 is designed in the device shown in FIG. 7 as a pivotable flap, and after this flap is pivoted away, components located in the interior of the housing of the thermotherapy device is accessible from the bottom. An area of the base wall can likewise be folded up in the device shown in FIG. 8, after which there is access to both the interior of the housing and components located on the inner side of the opened flap.
Accessibility for the service technician for maintenance and repair purposes is greatly limited in all these embodiments, because the service technician must bend under the device and then must search for access from below into the interior of the housing or to components located on the inner side of an opened flap. This is ergonomically highly unfavorable and difficult, on the one hand, and time-consuming, on the other hand, which leads to the problems of long down times of thermotherapy devices, which were addressed above. It is also a drawback that errors can occur more readily during maintenance or repair procedures because access to the components in question is difficult for the service technician, for example, when a component that is to be replaced is not inserted correctly because of the difficult accessibility in the interior of the housing, so that it will not function as desired during use.


Novel crosslinkable compositions based on elastomers, at least one of which has carboxyl and/or carboxylate groups, are provided, these crosslinkable compositions containing special unsaturated organic salts of metal ions and a crosslinking system which acts as a free radical donor. Crosslinked elastomers which have excellent physical properties are obtainable therefrom. The novel crosslinkable compositions have a wide range of uses.

There is a demand for vulcanizable compositions which can be processed in liquid form, or as far as possible solvent-free or have a low solvent content and, after curing or vulcanization, have the typical properties of vulcanized elastomers. There is particular requirement for materials which can be processed in low-viscosity form and, after vulcanization, have high thermal stability and adjustable physical properties and hence combine the properties of customary systems processable in liquid form, such as silicone rubbers or polyurethanes with the properties of high-performance elastomers, such as, for example, HNBR, EVM, ACM and AEM rubbers. There is also a particular need for materials which firstly have a very low viscosity at high temperatures or under high shearing but secondly are provided with sufficient stability under load at room temperature. This combination of properties would mean that on the one hand they can be moulded by customary methods (extrusion, injection, calendering, pressing) to give bodies which are dimensionally stable for a short time at room temperature, such as, for example, hides, lining strips or lining bodies, and can be used as such but aquire a low viscosity at higher temperatures and can then typically be processed "in liquid form".
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide compositions which have low viscosities at the processing temperature while at the same time stability under load at room temperature and furthermore high thermal stability and a high level of physical properties after vulcanization.

Crosslinkable compositions, processes for the preparation thereof and the use thereof


A band system for a wearable device, or alternately, a flexible smart strap, worn as an article of apparel, for providing reserve power and enhanced functionality to a portable digital device. The band system or smart strap provides both a stylish fashion accessory and a functional rechargeable secondary power source to address an increasing demand for additional battery life due to greater digital demands and functionality of digital smart devices and optionally includes an interchangeable detachable strap with integrated rechargeable batteries, a charging circuit that integrates with a digital device, an interface for recharging the smart strap batteries or a connected portable digital device battery in combination with the smart strap batteries. An additional interface is also described, capable of providing further functionality for various types of data transfer.

Devices such as portable electronic devices have become smaller and more complex in recent years while making significant advances in their capabilities and usefulness. These devices typically include a power source such as a battery disposed within the device itself. While these internal power sources are typically adequate for conventional use, ever-increasing user demand on devices and device capabilities continue to place higher demands for longer battery service life per charging event on those devices.


The invention relates in part to the use of independent assay controls (IACs) for the optical communication between an assay device and an instrument in monitoring and performing assays, preferably immunoassays.

The development of reliable methods for rapidly and simply measuring analytes in complex samples has become increasingly important. For example, the point of care testing in hospital emergency departments requires unskilled technicians to perform complex chemical and immunochemical assays to rapidly define the status of patients. The testing is usually performed by a nurse or an emergency room technician who are not trained as clinical chemists. The current practice of sending blood samples to the hospital laboratory is not feasible when the results are required within 30 min. The problem is thus that assay results are needed in a rapid time but the testing protocols, personnel and equipment available to the hospital emergency department are not compatible with this need. Other scenarios for obtaining rapid results through simple methods are in physicians offices, in patient homes and in field testing of pollutants and contaminants.
There is thus an unmet need for an immunoassay system that is simple, rapid and reliable.
Reliability in an immunoassay system is critical for the accurate measurement of the analyte. In an emergency room setting, the assay results can guide the physician in diagnosing and treating the patient. In a home setting, the assay result can, for example, help determine the amount and frequency of a therapeutic drug. In the field testing of pollutants and contaminants, the testing can define the extent of renovation or ground excavation needed to remove the contaminant.
Previous references regarding assay controls have not clearly defined parameters that require evaluation in assay devices. For instance, many publications simply provide examples of controls that determine the effect of non-specific binding. Some of these publications relate mainly to methods of controlling for non-specific binding and some references relate to devices that incorporate controls for non-specific binding. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,533,629, 4,540,659, 4,843,000, 4,849,338, 5,342,759, 4,649,121, 4,558,013, 4,541,987, 4,472,353, and 4,099,886.

Methods for monitoring the status of assays and immunoassays


The present invention is related to antibodies directed to the antigen CD3 and uses of such antibodies. In particular, the present invention provides fully human monoclonal antibodies directed to CD3. Nucleotide sequences encoding, and amino acid sequences comprising, heavy and light chain immunoglobulin molecules, particularly sequences corresponding to contiguous heavy and light chain sequences spanning the framework regions and/or complementarity determining regions (CDR's), specifically from FR1 through FR4 or CDR1 through CDR3, are provided. Hybridomas or other cell lines expressing such immunoglobulin molecules and monoclonal antibodies are also provided.

The body's immune system serves as a defense against a variety of conditions, including, e.g., injury, infection and neoplasia, and is mediated by two separate but interrelated systems, the cellular and humoral immune systems. Generally speaking, the humoral system is mediated by soluble products, termed antibodies or immunoglobulins, which have the ability to combine with and neutralize products recognized by the system as being foreign to the body. In contrast, the cellular immune system involves the mobilization of certain cells, termed T-cells that serve a variety of therapeutic roles.
The immune system of both humans and animals include two principal classes of lymphocytes: the thymus derived cells (T cells), and the bone marrow derived cells (B cells). Mature T cells emerge from the thymus and circulate between the tissues, lymphatics, and the bloodstream. T cells exhibit immunological specificity and are directly involved in cell-mediated immune responses (such as graft rejection). T cells act against or in response to a variety of foreign structures (antigens). In many instances these foreign antigens are expressed on host cells as a result of infection. However, foreign antigens can also come from the host having been altered by neoplasia or infection. Although T cells do not themselves secrete antibodies, they are usually required for antibody secretion by the second class of lymphocytes, B cells.
There are various subsets of T cells, which are generally defined by antigenic determinants found on their cell surfaces, as well as functional activity and foreign antigen recognition. Some subsets of T cells, such as CD8+ cells, are killer/suppressor cells that play a regulating function in the immune system, while others, such as CD4+ cells, serve to promote inflammatory and humoral responses.
Human peripheral T lymphocytes can be stimulated to undergo mitosis by a variety of agents including foreign antigens, monoclonal antibodies and lectins such as phytohemayglutinin and concanavalin A. Although activation presumably occurs by binding of the mitogens to specific sites on cell membranes, the nature of these receptors, and their mechanism of activation, is not completely elucidated. Induction of proliferation is only one indication of T cell activation. Other indications of activation, defined as alterations in the basal or resting state of the cell, include increased lymphokine production and cytotoxic cell activity.
T cell activation is a complex phenomenon that depends on the participation of a variety of cell surface molecules expressed on the responding T cell population. For example, the antigen-specific T cell receptor (TcR) is composed of a disulfide-linked heterodimer, containing two clonally distributed, integral membrane glycoprotein chains, alpha and beta (α and β), or gamma and delta (γ and δ), non-covalently associated with a complex of low molecular weight invariant proteins, commonly designated as CD3 (once referred to as T3).
The TcR alpha and beta chains determine antigen specificities. The CD3 structures represent accessory molecules that are the transducing elements of activation signals initiated upon binding of the TcR alpha beta (TcR αβ) to its ligand. There are both constant regions of the glycoprotein chains of TcR, and variable regions (polymorphisms). Polymorphic TcR variable regions define subsets of T cells, with distinct specificities. Unlike antibodies that recognize whole or smaller fragments of foreign proteins as antigens, the TcR complex interacts with only small peptides of the antigen, which must be presented in the context of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. These MHC proteins represent another highly polymorphic set of molecules randomly dispersed throughout the species. Thus, activation usually requires the tripartite interaction of the TcR and foreign peptidic antigen bound to the major MHC proteins.

Anti-CD3 antibodies and methods of use thereof


A transmission includes a plurality of fluid passages configured to transmit fluid through the transmission for operating the transmission. A miniature electric motor is operatively connected to a moveable blocker positioned in one of the passages for actuating movement of the blocker between an open position in which fluid is allowed to flow through the passage, and a closed position in which the passage is blocked.

The flow of oil within a transmission is controlled in a manner to lubricate the moving components and to apply clutches when needed. Transmissions often include a case side cover pan having an oil chamber which stores oil that may be selectively delivered to an oil sump to provide desired levels of oil within the transmission. If the oil sump level is unnecessarily high, then the oil may interfere with the rotating components of the transmission as a result of the paddlewheel effect of the moving components rotating through the oil, or the viscous coupling effect of the oil on the rotating components. This interference causes spin losses which translate directly into reduced fuel economy.
The flow of oil from the oil chamber of the case side cover pan into the oil sump is typically controlled by a thermostatic element which is operative to reduce the flow of oil when the oil is above a predetermined temperature level. The thermostatic element contains a temperature sensitive strip of metal that reacts to fluid temperature changes to open or close a fluid passage. At low temperatures, the thermostatic element exerts little pressure on the thermostatic element plate, which allows fluid to drain into the sump. As the temperature of the fluid rises, the thermostatic element begins to apply pressure to the thermostatic element plate, thereby trapping fluid in the case side cover pan. This control is needed to maintain the operation of the hydraulic system. The thermostatic control element provides a passive control which may not be adjusted based upon operating conditions of the transmission or vehicle.

Transmission with miniature motor for control to oil flow


The present invention provides a method of producing a cast coated paper including the steps of providing a pigment coating layer for casting on a base paper, plasticizing the coating layer by means of a rewet liquid, and drying the coating layer by pressing the coating layer against a heated metal drum having a highly polished surface such that the dried coating layer has a high gloss. The rewet liquid is an aqueous dispersion having a complex resin. The complex resin includes a copolymer resin and a colloidal silica, the copolymer resin being obtained by copolymerizing a styrene monomer and an unsaturated carboxylic ester monomer, and the colloidal silica having a mean particle diameter ranging from 0.005 .mu.m to 0.01 .mu.m.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing a cast coated paper. More particularly, the invention relates to a method of effectively obtaining a cast coated paper which is superior in gloss, printability, abrasion resistance and water resistance to conventional cast coated papers.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Conventional methods of producing a printing paper having a high gloss called a cast coated paper include a wet casting method, a rewet casting method and a gel-casting method. Said wet casting method comprises a base paper being coated with a cast coating composition, the main components of which are pigments and adhesives, then said base paper being pressed against the highly polished surface of a heated drum when the coating layer is still wet so that the paper is dried and glossed. Said rewet casting method comprises a coating composition in a wet state being dried once, rewetted and plasticized by means of a rewet liquid, and then pressed against the highly polished surface of a heated drum. Said gel-casting method comprises a coating composition in a wet state being gelled and pressed against the highly polished surface of a heated drum so that the paper is dried and glossed.
All of said casting methods are the same in that the coating layer in a wet, plasticized state is pressed against the highly polished surface of a heated drum, dried thereby and removed from said heated drum so that said coating layer copies the highly polished surface of said drum. Cast coated papers thus obtained have a high gloss and surface smoothness as compared with conventional super-calendered coated papers, and ensure a superior printing effect. Therefore, said cast coated papers are used particularly as high-grade printing papers and materials of high-grade paper ware, etc.
With the improvements of the grade of printed matters, book covers, paper ware, etc., it has been demanded that the gloss should be further improved over the conventional cast papers and the water resistance and abrasion resistance should be made higher. Methods used at present as means for satisfying such quality demands include a method of making a conventional coated paper, cast coated paper, etc. into a varnished paper or a press coat by coating said coated paper, cast coated paper, etc. with a transparent resin by a printing means and a method of making said papers into a paper laminated with a plastic film of polyethylene, vinyl chloride, etc. In all of these methods, said conventional coated paper and cast coated paper are subjected to secondary treatment.
Since it is impossible to print said varnished paper, press coat or laminated paper directly with a printing ink, these papers are varnished or laminated after being printed. It is inconvenient to do so. Particularly, said laminated paper widely used is very difficult to recycle because the laminated film thereof hinders defiberization and furthermore there is an excessive burden in the recycling process. Thus the laminated paper has many disadvantages in terms of the environmental problem, etc. over the conventional coated paper and cast coated paper.
It is an object of the present invention to obtain a cast coated paper good enough to be used in place of said varnished paper, press coat and laminated paper.
It is another object of the invention to obtain a cast coated paper having a gloss, ink gloss, abrasion resistance, water resistance etc. much better than those of said varnished paper.
Discussion will now be made as to what improvements can be made on the present technical level in an attempt to obtain a cast coated paper having high qualities comparable to those of said varnished paper, etc.
The composition of a conventional cast coating layer comprises a coating pigment and an adhesive generally used in the field of coated papers for printing, said pigment normally being used in an amount of 100 parts by weight per 5 to 50 parts by weight of said adhesive. Since the main component of said coating layer is the coating pigment, the cast coated paper obtained is superior in the absorption and retention of printing ink but much inferior in gloss, ink gloss, abrasion resistance and water resistance to said varnished paper, press coat and laminated paper.
It is possible to improve the gloss and ink gloss of a cast coated paper to some extent by increasing the amount of the adhesive in the cast coating composition. If the amount of the adhesive is increased, however, the porosity of the coating layer is lost, and the vapor permeability of said layer and the releasability from the polished drum is reduced. This will make the production speed mu(:h lower and extremely deteriorate the high printability, particularly ink set and ink drying, which is a characteristic feature of the cast coated paper.
It may seem possible to add a known release agent to the coating composition or increase the amount of the pigment in order to improve said releasability. However, the addition of the release agent alone cannot improve the releasability to a satisfactory level. If the pigment is added to such an extent as that said releasability is improved, the gloss will be reduced.
Also, it may seem possible to add a lubricant such as a polyethylene wax and a natural wax to the coating composition in order to improve the abrasion resistance of the cast coated paper. However, to obtain abrasion resistance comparable to that of said varnished paper, press coat or laminated paper, it is necessary to add said lubricant in large quantities and as a result printability such as ink set and surface strength may by reduced.
The water resistance of the cast coated paper can be improved by adding a water resisting agent which has been used in the field of paper coating. However, it is difficult to obtain water resistance equal to that of said varnished paper, press coat or laminated paper.
As apparent from the above, it is very difficult to find in the present technical level a means for satisfying all of said qualities, printability and releasability of the cast coated paper . In other words, even if an improvement is made on the basis of the conventional method of producing the cast coated paper, it is very difficult to obtain gloss, ink gloss, abrasion resistance and water resistance comparable to those of said varnished paper, press coat or laminated paper.
A case is known in which an attempt was made to improve the qualities of a cast coated paper by means of a rewetting method by improving a rewet liquid used in a reset casting method. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 48-38005 discloses cast finishing by a rewet casting method by means of a rewet liquid containing a film forming substance in an amount of 0.1 to 20% immediately before a coating layer comprising a pigment and an adhesive is pressed against the highly polished surface of a heated drum. In this method, said coating layer comprising a pigment and an adhesive is in charge of printability such as the absorption and retention of ink, and an attempt is made to improve gloss by forming a thin layer of said film forming substance on the surface of said coating layer. However, the film forming substance can be added only to such an extent that the porosity of the coating layer is not lost and it is impossible to obtain sufficient gloss.
It is possible to improve gloss by increasing the amount of said film forming substance within said rewet liquid. Since in this case a thick layer of said film forming substance is formed on the surface of the pigment in the coating layer, the absorption of ink by the pigment is hindered and ink set is reduced. Since vapor permeability is reduced, releasability is also deteriorated. To obtain satisfactory printability and releasability on these conditions, the film forming substance itself must be excellent in the absorption, retention, etc. of ink and releasability. However, the film forming substance shown in said publication does not satisfy these requirements.


A method of manufacturing a spacer for a substrate having a gate structure formed thereon. The method comprises steps of forming a first oxide layer over the substrate and forming a nitride layer on the first oxide layer. A first asymmetric etching process is performed to remove a portion of the nitride layer until a portion of a top surface of the first oxide layer is exposed. A second asymmetric etching process is performed to remove a portion of the first oxide layer by using the remaining nitride layer as a mask until about 50% to 90% portion of the first oxide layer is removed. A quick wet etching process is performed to remove a portion of the remaining first oxide located on the top of the gate structure and on the substrate.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a spacer.
2. Description of Related Art
When the integration of the integrated circuit is getting increased, the size of the semiconductor device is decreased. Therefore, the length of the channel in the substrate under the gate structure is also decreased. However, when the length of the channel is shrinking into a certain level, the problems caused by relatively short channel length happen. That is so-called Short Channel Effect. Currently, the Lightly-Doped-Drain (LDD) design is the most common way to solve the Short Channel Effect. In this kind of design, a lightly doped source/drain region is further formed in the substrate closely adjacent to the channel between the original source/drain region of the metal oxide semiconductor (MOS).
Under the LDD design, a spacer is required to form on the sidewall of the gate structure. Conventionally, the spacer is made of silicon oxide. Nevertheless, the material of silicon oxide possesses the characteristic of absorbing moisture. Recently, an oxide-nitride-oxide material is used to form the spacer. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a gate structure having an oxide-nitride-oxide spacer. As shown in FIG. 1, a gate structure 102 having a spacer structure 104 is located on a substrate 100. The gate structure 102 comprises a gate dielectric layer 102a and a gate electrode 102b. The spacer structure 104 comprises a bottom oxide spacer 106, a middle L-shape nitride spacer 108 and an upper oxide spacer 110. Because of the wet etching process for removing a portion of the bottom oxide layer until the bottom oxide spacer 106 is formed, an under-cut phenomenon 112 happens on the bottom oxide spacer 106 under the middle L-shape nitride spacer 108. As a result, it is not easy to control the actual lateral length of the MOS. Therefore, the margin of the later formed source/drain region (not shown) in the substrate 100 by performing an ion implantation process cannot be well controlled and the uncertain margin of the source/drain region leads to unexpected electrical performance of the semiconductor device. Further, the reliability of the semiconductor device is decreased as well.


A stitch bonded fabric sheet (10) has a felt web (12) with hydrophobic layer (14) and a hydrophilic layer (16) stitch bonded with yarns (18) to create yarn faces (24 and 26) over the respective outer surfaces (20 and 22) of the felt web (12). Sheet (10) may be used as a fluid-retention fabric such as to replace the facing fabric and felt layer in an incontinent pad.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to stitch bonded fabrics, and more particularly, to such fabrics used as fluid-retaining fabrics such as in incontinent products.
II. Description of Prior Art
Various incontinent pads have been employed such as in hospital settings to retain fluids expelled from the body while also protecting the bed linens therebelow. To this end, a typical incontinent pad has a knit or woven facing fabric layer to which is quilted a felt layer. The facing fabric layer provides a soft, comfortable layer against the patient's skin, and cooperates with the felt layer to hold the large volume of fluid that may be expelled from the patient. The felt layer further provides rigidity to the pad so that it does not crumple up and become uncomfortable under the weight of the patient.
A barrier layer, typically of vinyl or polyurethane with an outer tricot fabric layer, is attached to the felt such as by being stitched to the edge of the quilted layers or by being bonded to the felt with adhesive. To provide for better patient comfort, it is desirable to wick fluids away from the topside of the facing fabric so as to maintain as dry a surface as possible. To this end, one highly desirable facing fabric developed and marketed by Standard Textile Co., Inc., under the mark Comply.RTM. is an integral web fabric that provides a hydrophobic upper surface and a hydrophilic lower surface in wicking communication with the upper surface. With that fabric, fluids are wicked away from the face of the fabric and into the hydrophilic, fluid-absorbing lower portion where the fluids may be retained.
While incontinent pads have enjoyed wide-spread success, the manufacture of such pads presents significant cost concerns, especially due to the need to separately manufacture the facing fabric and the felt layer, and to then apply the quilting process to hold those layers together.

Stitch bonded fabric and fluid-retaining fabric made therewith