What is claimed is:
1. An agitator assembly for a fabric washer comprising:
an agitator body having an upstanding axis;
an auger body mounted for rotation with respect to the agitator body about the upstanding axis of the agitator body;
a drive motor operatively connected to the agitator body for causing reciprocating movement of the agitator body in first and second opposite rotational directions around the upstanding axis;
a clutch between the auger body and the agitator body for causing the auger body to rotate in the first rotational direction in response to rotation of the agitator body in the first rotational direction and for causing lost rotational motion between the auger body and the agitator body when the agitator body rotates in the opposite rotational direction; and
at least three segments of helical flightings on the auger body.
2. An agitator assembly according to claim 1 wherein each one of the at least three segments of helical flightings extend in a helical path overlapping with at least another of the at least three segments of helical flightings.
3. An agitator assembly according to claim 2 wherein the at least three helical flightings include an upper flighting segment terminating adjacent the upper end of the auger body, a lower flighting segment beginning adjacent the lower end of the auger body, and at least one middle flighting segment extending between the upper and lower ends of the auger body.
4. An agitator assembly according to claim 1 wherein each of the at least three segments of helical flightings are tapered from an inner radial location to an outer radial location with respect to the upstanding axis of the agitator body.
5. An agitator assembly for a fabric washer comprising:
an agitator body having an upstanding axis;
an auger body mounted for rotation relative to the agitator body about the upstanding axis of the agitator body;
a drive motor operatively connected to the agitator body for causing reciprocating movement of the agitator body in first and second opposite rotational directions around the upstanding axis;
a clutch between the auger body and the agitator body for causing the auger body to rotate in the first rotational direction in response to rotation of the agitator body in the first rotational direction and for causing lost rotational motion between the auger body and the agitator body when the agitator body rotates in the opposite rotational direction;
the clutch having a clutch bearing comprising first and second clutch bearing surfaces adapted to bear against one another during relative rotational movement between the agitator body and the auger body;
a lower bearing on the auger body spaced axially from the clutch bearing along the upstanding axis of the agitator body, the lower bearing comprising first and second bearing surfaces adapted to bear against one another during relative rotational movement between the agitator body and the auger body;
one of the clutch bearing and the lower bearing limiting only radial movement of the auger body relative to the upstanding axis of the agitator body; and
the other of the clutch bearing and lower bearing limiting both axial and radial movement of the auger body relative to the upstanding axis of the agitator body.
6. An agitator assembly according to claim 5 wherein the clutch bearing limits both axial and radial movement of the auger body relative to the agitator body and the lower bearing limits only radial movement of the auger body relative to the agitator body.
7. An agitator assembly according to claim 6 wherein the first and second clutch bearing surfaces are tapered with respect to the upstanding axis of the agitator body.
8. An agitator assembly according to claim 5 wherein the lower bearing limits both axial and radial movement of the auger body relative to the agitator body and the clutch bearing limits only radial movement of the auger body relative to the agitator body.
9. An agitator assembly according to claim 8 wherein the first and second lower bearing surfaces are tapered with respect to the upstanding axis of the agitator body.
10. An agitator assembly for agitating a washing fluid having a plurality of articles to be washed therein comprising:
an agitator body having an upstanding axis;
an auger body comprising an auger tube having a helical flighting extending around the auger tube, the auger body being mounted for rotation about the upstanding axis of the agitator body;
a drive motor operatively connected to the agitator body for causing reciprocating movement of the agitator body in first and second opposite rotational directions;
a clutch between the auger body and the agitator body for causing the auger body to rotate in the first rotational direction in response to rotation of the agitator body in the first rotational direction and for causing lost rotational motion between the auger body and the agitator body when the agitator body rotates in the opposite rotational direction; and
the auger tube having tube walls surrounding a tube cavity and one or more tube wall holes providing fluid communication from outside the tube walls to the tube cavity.
11. An agitator assembly according to claim 10 wherein the one or more tube wall holes are located in close proximity to the helical flighting extending around the auger tube.
12. An agitator assembly according to claim 11 wherein the helical flighting has an upper surface and a lower surface and is positioned on the auger tube to move the washing fluid and the articles within the washing fluid in a downward direction during rotation of the auger body in the first rotational direction.
13. An agitator assembly according to claim 12 wherein the one or more tube wall holes are located adjacent the lower surface of the helical flighting.
14. An agitator assembly for agitating a washing fluid having a plurality of articles to be washed therein comprising:
an agitator body having an upstanding axis;
an auger body comprising an auger tube having upper and lower ends and having three or more helical flighting segments extending around the auger tube, the auger body being mounted for rotation about the upstanding axis of the agitator body;
a drive motor operatively connected to the agitator body for causing reciprocating movement of the agitator body in first and second opposite rotational directions;
a clutch between the auger body and the agitator body for causing the auger body to rotate in the first rotational direction in response to rotation of the agitator body in the first rotational direction and for causing lost rotational motion between the auger body and the agitator body when the agitator body rotates in the opposite rotational direction;
the clutch having a bearing comprising first and second clutch bearing surfaces bearing against one another during relative rotational movement between the auger body and the agitator body;
the auger tube having tube walls surrounding a tube cavity and one or more tube wall holes providing fluid communication from outside the tube walls to the tube cavity;
a lower bearing member attached to the lower end of the auger tube, surrounding the upstanding agitator post, and bearing against the agitator body during relative rotational movement between the agitator body and the auger body;
one of the clutch bearing and the lower bearing member limiting only relative radial movement between the agitator body and the auger body; and
the other of the clutch bearing and the lower bearing member limiting both relative radial movement and axial movement between the agitator body and the auger body.
15. The agitator assembly of claim 14 wherein the clutch bearing prevents both radial and axial relative movement between the agitator body and the auger body.
16. The agitator assembly of claim 14 wherein the lower bearing prevents both radial and axial relative movement between the agitator body and the auger body.
17. In combination:
an agitator assembly having an upstanding tube wall forming an elongated tube cavity and having an upper edge surrounding an upwardly facing tube opening;
a dispenser having a first portion within the tube cavity and a second portion extending upwardly through the tube opening above the upper edge of the tube wall, the dispenser having an upwardly facing dispenser opening above the upper edge of the tube wall, the dispenser comprised of a material having a first durometer reading and a first coefficient of friction;
an annular ring surrounding and engaging the dispenser at the outer circumference comprising a gripping surface of elastic material having a second durometer reading and a second coefficient of friction;
the second durometer reading being lower than the first durometer reading; and the second coefficient of friction being higher than the first coefficient of friction.
18. In combination:
an agitator assembly having an upstanding tube wall forming an elongated tube cavity and having an upper edge surrounding an upwardly facing tube opening;
a dispenser having a first portion within the tube cavity and a second portion extending upwardly through the tube opening above the upper edge of the tube wall, the dispenser having an upwardly facing dispenser opening above the upper edge of the tube wall;
an annular ring surrounding and engaging the dispenser and also engaging the upstanding tube wall adjacent the tube opening; and
the annular ring comprising an elastic material stretched in an outward radial direction and exerting an inward radial force against the tube wall and the dispenser to detachably secure the tube wall to the dispenser.
19. A combination according to claim 18 wherein the dispenser and the tube wall are comprised of a material that has a first durometer reading and a first coefficient of friction, the elastic material of the annular ring having a second durometer reading and a second coefficient of friction, the second durometer reading being lower than the first durometer reading and the second coefficient of friction being higher than the first coefficient of friction.
20. A combination according to claim 19 wherein the annular ring includes an outer surface facing in an outward radial direction, the outer surface having a plurality of indentations therein to facilitate gripping of the annular ring by a person.
21. A combination according to claim 19 wherein the tube wall includes an annular rib adjacent to the tube opening to further aid the frictional engagement with the elastic material of the annular ring
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
We claim:
1. A method for fabricating variable quality substrate materials, the method comprising:
selecting a first mask having a first mask pattern;
projecting a laser beam through the first mask to anneal a first area of semiconductor substrate;
creating a first condition in the first area of the semiconductor film;
selecting a second mask having a second mask pattern;
projecting the laser beam through the second mask to anneal a second area of the semiconductor film; and,
creating a second condition in the second area of the semiconductor film, different than the first condition.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein creating a first condition in the first area of the semiconductor film includes creating crystalline material with a first lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains; and,
wherein creating a second condition in the second area of the semiconductor film includes creating crystalline material with a second lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains, less than the first lattice mismatch.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein creating crystalline material with a first lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains includes forming a first number of high-angle grain boundaries per area; and,
wherein creating crystalline material with a second lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains, less than the first lattice mismatch, includes forming a second number of high-angle grain boundaries per area, smaller than the first number per area.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein forming a first number of high-angle grain boundaries per area includes forming a first number of high-angle grain boundaries per area with a crystal lattice mismatch angle in the range between 15 and 90 degrees; and,
wherein forming a second number of high-angle grain boundaries per area includes forming a second number of high-angle grain boundaries per area with a crystal lattice mismatch angle in the range between 15 and 90 degrees, less than the first number per area.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein forming a first number of high-angle grain boundaries per area includes forming adjacent high-angle grain boundaries separated by a first distance; and,
wherein forming a second number of high-angle grain boundaries per area includes forming adjacent high-angle grain boundaries separated by a second distance, greater than the first distance.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:
forming at least one transistor including a channel region in the second area; and,
forming at least one transistor including a channel region in the first area.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein forming the transistor in the second area includes completely forming a transistor channel region, having a length less than, or equal to the second distance, between adjacent high-angle grain boundaries.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein forming the transistor in the first area includes forming a transistor channel region, having a length greater than the first distance, including at least one high-angle grain boundary.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
selecting a plurality of masks;
projecting the laser beam through each mask to anneal a corresponding area of semiconductor substrate; and,
creating a particular condition in each area of the semiconductor film.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein projecting the laser beam through the first mask to anneal a first area of semiconductor substrate includes using the first mask to laser anneal a plurality of nonadjacent regions of semiconductor film; and,
wherein projecting the laser beam through the second mask to anneal a second area of semiconductor substrate includes using the second mask to laser anneal a plurality of nonadjacent regions of semiconductor film.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein using the first mask to laser anneal a plurality of nonadjacent regions of semiconductor film includes:
sequentially exposing each first area region to the projected laser beam;
sequentially annealing each of the nonadjacent regions of the first area.
12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
establishing an order of adjacent regions across the semiconductor film;
aligning the laser beam with the semiconductor film in the established order;
wherein using the first mask to laser anneal a plurality of nonadjacent regions of semiconductor film includes projecting the laser beam through the first mask when the laser beam is aligned with a first area region; and,
wherein using the second mask to laser anneal a plurality of nonadjacent regions of semiconductor film includes projecting the laser beam through the second mask when the laser beam is aligned with a second area region.
13. A variable quality semiconductor film substrate comprising:
a first area with semiconductor film including crystalline material having a first lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains; and,
a second area with semiconductor film including crystalline material having a second lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains, less than the first lattice mismatch.
14. The substrate of claim 13 further comprising:
a plurality of areas with semiconductor film including crystalline material, each area having a particular degree of lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains.
15. The substrate of claim 13 wherein the first area includes a first number of high-angle grain boundaries per area; and,
wherein the second area includes a second number of high-angle grain boundaries per area, smaller than the first number per area.
16. The substrate of claim 15 wherein the first area includes a first number of high-angle grain boundaries per areas with a crystal lattice mismatch angle in the range between 15 and 90 degrees; and,
wherein the second area includes a second number of high-angle grain boundaries per areas with a crystal lattice mismatch angle in the range between 15 and 90 degrees, less than the first number per area.
17. The substrate of claim 15 wherein the first area includes adjacent high-angle grain boundaries separated by a first distance; and,
wherein the second area includes adjacent high-angle grain boundaries separated by second distance, greater than the first distance.
18. The substrate of claim 17 further comprising:
at least one transistor including a channel region formed in the second area; and,
at least one transistor including a channel region formed in the first area.
19. The substrate of claim 18 wherein the second area transistor channel region has a length less than, or equal to the second distance, completely formed between adjacent high-angle grain boundaries.
20. The substrate of claim 19 wherein the first area transistor channel region has a length greater than the first distance, including at least one high-angle grain boundary.
21. The substrate of claim 13 wherein the semiconductor film is silicon.
22. A polycrystalline silicon substrate including variable quality transistors, the substrate comprising:
a first area with at least one transistor having a channel region with a length greater than the distance between high-angle grain boundaries, including at least one high-angle grain boundary; and,
a second area with at least one transistor having a channel region with a length less than, or equal to the distance between high-angle grain boundaries, completely formed between adjacent high-angle grain boundaries.
23. A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel fabricated with a variable quality semiconductor film substrate, the panel comprising:
a first area including crystalline material having a first lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains; and,
a second area including crystalline material having a second lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains, less than the first lattice mismatch.
24. A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel fabricated with a variable quality semiconductor film substrate, the panel comprising:
a pixel array substrate area including crystalline material having a first lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains;
a column drivers substrate area including crystalline material having a second lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains, less than the first lattice mismatch;
a row drivers substrate area including crystalline material having the third lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains, less than the first lattice mismatch; and,
an on-board memory substrate area including crystalline material having a fourth lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains, less than the second and third lattice mismatches.