Author: claimsbot

1. A method for measuring a rheological transition level between a first layer with first rheological properties, typically a fluid mud layer, and a second layer lying thereunder and having different, second rheological properties, typically a solid mud layer, said method comprising:
lowering an object through the first layer into the second layer lying thereunder, using a cable;
measuring a dynamic quantity of the moving cable with object, influenced by the rheological properties, or a change of this quantity; and
on the basis of this measurement determining when the object is located at the rheological transition level.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic quantity influenced by the rheological properties is the force in the cable itself or a variable linked thereto, wherein during the descent of the object this dynamic quantity is measured while the velocity at which the cable descends is controlled.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the velocity at which the cable is lowered is held within a determined range, and is preferably held substantially constant.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the cable is lowered at a velocity considerably lower than an equilibrium velocity for the first layer, for which equilibrium velocity the gravitational force of the object is equal to the upward force exerted on the object during descent.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the velocity at which the object is lowered is such that the cable becomes slack in the second layer, wherein the measurement of the change in force in the cable consists of detecting the slackness of the cable.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the velocity at which the cable descends, or a variable linked thereto, is measured, whilst controlling the force in the cable.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the force in the cable is held within a determined range, and is preferably held substantially constant.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the force in the cable is set to a value for which the velocity in the second layer is greater than a determined critical value, for instance greater than 0.25 ms.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first layer has a first density and the second layer a second density, the object having an average density greater than the first density and greater than the second density.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the length over which the cable has been lowered is measured for the position in which the determined change has been established.
11. A system for measuring a rheological transition between a first layer with first rheological properties, typically a fluid mud layer, and a second layer lying thereunder and having second rheological properties, typically a solid mud layer, comprising:
a loweringhoisting device with a cable and with control means for controlling the lowering;
an object connected to this cable and having an average density greater than that of the first and second layer;
a measuring means for measuring a dynamic variable of the loweringhoisting device influenced by the rheological properties, this such that it is possible to determine from the dynamic variable measured by the measuring means that the object is situated at the rheological transition level.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the control means are adapted to control the lowering velocity and that the measuring means are adapted to measure a variable determining the force or a change in force in the cable.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the measuring means are a slack cable switch.
14. The system of claim 11, wherein the loweringhoisting device is provided with a motor, the measuring means being adapted to measure a parameter of the motor representative of the force in the cable.
15. The system of claim 11, wherein the control means are adapted to control the force in the cable during lowering, and that the measuring means are adapted to measure the lowering velocity.
16. The system of claim 11, wherein the loweringhoisting device is provided with cable length measuring means for measuring the length of the lowered cable.
17. The system of claim 11, wherein the object is a steel sphere or wherein the object has a probe shaped body.
18. A sounding probe for measuring a rheological transition between a first layer with first rheological properties, typically a fluid mud layer, and a second layer lying thereunder and having second rheological properties, typically a solid mud layer, comprising:
an elongate body with a probe tip;
a measuring means for measuring a dynamic variable of the body when moving through the first and second layer, said dynamic variable being influenced by the rheological properties, such that it is possible to determine from the dynamic variable measured by the measuring means that the object is situated at the rheological transition level.
19. The sounding probe of claim 18, wherein said measuring means is a measuring means for measuring the velocity of a descending body, or a measuring means for measuring the acceleration of a descending body.
20. The sounding probe of claim 18, further comprising pressure measuring means for measuring the pressure exerted by the water column at the rheological transition level, in order to derive herefrom the depth of the rheological transition level.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method, comprising:
forming a gate electrode structure above a semiconductor region, said gate electrode structure comprising a gate dielectric material, a semiconductor material formed above said gate dielectric material and a dielectric cap material formed above said semiconductor material;
performing an oxidation process to form an oxide liner an sidewalls of said semiconductor material, a thickness of said oxide liner being greatest at an interface formed by said semiconductor material and said dielectric cap layer;
forming a spacer on sidewalls of said gate electrode structure;
forming cavities in said semiconductor region by using said dielectric cap layer and said spacer as an etch mask; and
forming a strain-inducing semiconductor material in said cavities by using said dielectric cap layer and said spacer as a growth mask.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said spacer is formed by depositing a spacer layer having a thickness of approximately 8 nm or less.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said spacer layer is deposited with a thickness of approximately 5 nm or less.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein forming said gate electrode structure comprises incorporating an implantation species locally in said semiconductor material so as to locally increase an oxidation rate of said semiconductor material.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein incorporating said implantation species comprises forming a layer of said semiconductor material and introducing said implantation species prior to patterning said layer of said semiconductor material.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein incorporating said implantation species comprises performing an implantation process using a non-zero tilt angle after forming said gate electrode structure.
7. The method of claim 4, wherein incorporating said implantation species comprises forming a mask material above said semiconductor region and laterally adjacent to said gate electrode structure and performing an implantation process in the presence of said mask material.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said strain-inducing semiconductor material induces a compressive strain.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein forming said gate electrode structure comprises providing a high-k dielectric material in said gate dielectric material and providing a work function adjusting species above said high-k dielectric material.
10. A method, comprising:
forming a gate layer stack above a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region;
patterning said gate layer stack to form a first gate electrode structure above said first semiconductor region and a second gate electrode structure above said second semiconductor region, said first and second gate electrode structures comprising a semiconductor material;
modifying an oxidation behavior of the semiconductor material of said first gate electrode structure;
performing an oxidation process to form an oxide on sidewalls of said semiconductor material of said first and second gate electrode structures;
forming a spacer layer above said first and second gate electrode structures;
forming a spacer element on said sidewalls of said first gate electrode structure on the basis of said spacer layer; and
forming a strain-inducing semiconductor alloy in said first semiconductor region by using said spacer element as a mask.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein modifying said oxidation behavior comprises performing an implantation process to incorporate an implantation species with an average penetration depth of approximately 5 nm or less.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein performing said implantation process comprises applying a non-zero tilt angle.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein modifying said oxidation behavior comprises performing an electron bombardment.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein forming said gate layer stack comprises forming a high-k dielectric material above said first and second semiconductor regions and forming a metal-containing cap layer above said high-k dielectric material.
15. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming drain and source regions in said first and second semiconductor regions to form a P-channel transistor based on said first semiconductor region and an N-channel transistor based on said second semiconductor region.
16. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming a metal silicide in said semiconductor material of said first and second gate electrode structures.
17. The method of claim 10, wherein said spacer layer is formed with a thickness of approximately 8 nm or less.
18. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming a threshold adjusting semiconductor material selectively on said first semiconductor region prior to forming said first and second gate electrode structures.
19. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a gate electrode structure of a transistor formed above a semiconductor region and comprising a silicon-containing electrode material formed above a gate insulation layer comprising a high-k dielectric material, said silicon-containing electrode material having sidewalls, said gate electrode structure further comprising a silicon oxide material formed on said sidewalls, said silicon oxide material having thickness at a top of said silicon-containing electrode material that is greater than a thickness at a bottom of said silicon-containing electrode material;
a strain-inducing semiconductor alloy formed in said semiconductor region; and
drain and source regions at least partially formed in said strain-inducing semiconductor alloy.
20. The semiconductor device of claim 19, wherein said silicon-containing electrode material comprises a metal silicide.

1. A liquid crystal projector comprising:
a light source lamp;
a liquid crystal panel for displaying at least one color of red, green and blue;
a power source for supplying electric power to an element in the liquid crystal projector;
a fan for removing heat generated by said power source and said lamp;
a water-cooling jacket provided on an inner surface of a part of an external wall of the liquid crystal projector, which part is adjacent to said lamp;
a metal pipe arrangement for heat radiation, placed in a part of the external wall except said part of the external wall having said water-cooling jacket on the inner surface thereof; and
a cooling liquid driving means for driving cooling liquid to flow in the water-cooling jacket receiving the heat radiated from said lamp, wherein
the cooling liquid receiving the heat generated by said lamp circulates in a circulation path through said water-cooling jacket, said metal pipe arrangement and said cooling liquid driving means to emit the heat to the outside through said metal pipe arrangement.
2. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 1, wherein a relaxation member for curbing heat transmission and lowering the temperature of the cooling liquid is provided between an external surface of said lamp and said water-cooling jacket so as to contact both the external surface of said lamp and said water-cooling jacket.
3. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of metallic heat absorbing fins are provided on said water-cooling jacket between an external surface of said lamp and said water-cooling jacket, so that an air layer is formed between tip ends of said heat absorbing fins and the external surface of said lamp.
4. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 1, wherein a relaxation member constituted by combining a plurality of metal plates and a heat insulator provided between the metal plates for lowering the temperature of the cooling liquid is provided between an external surface of said lamp and said water-cooling jacket so as to contact both the external surface of said lamp and said water-cooling jacket.
5. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 1, wherein said part of the external wall having said water-cooling jacket on the inner surface thereof is mounted rotatably, or movably.
6. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 2, wherein said part of the external wall having said water-cooling jacket on the inner surface thereof is mounted rotatably, or movably.
7. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 3, wherein said part of the external wall having said water-cooling jacket on the inner surface thereof is mounted rotatably, or movably.
8. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 4, wherein said part of the external wall having said water-cooling jacket on the inner surface thereof is mounted rotatably, or movably.
9. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 5, wherein a flexible pipe is connected to each of an inlet side and an outlet side of said water-cooling jacket.
10. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 6, wherein a flexible pipe is connected to each of an inlet side and an outlet side of said water-cooling jacket.
11. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 7, wherein a flexible pipe is connected to each of an inlet side and an outlet side of said water-cooling jacket.
12. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 8, wherein a flexible pipe is connected to each of an inlet side and an outlet side of said water-cooling jacket.
13. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 3, wherein each of said head absorbing fins has a surface of an uneven shape.
14. A liquid crystal projector comprising:
a light source lamp;
a liquid crystal panel for displaying at least one color of red, green and blue;
a power source for supplying electric power to each element in the liquid crystal projector;
a fan for removing heat generated by said liquid crystal panel and said lamp;
a water-cooling jacket provided on the liquid crystal panel comprising an incoming polarizing plate, a liquid crystal panel body and an outgoing polarizing plate, thorough which water-cooling jacket cooling liquid flows;
a metal pipe arrangement for heat radiation, placed in an external wall portion of a housing of said liquid crystal projector; and
a cooling liquid driving means for driving the cooling liquid to flow in said water-cooling jacket receiving the heat radiated from said liquid crystal panel, wherein
the cooling liquid receiving the heat generated by said lamp circulates in a circulation path through said water-cooling jacket, said metal pipe arrangement and said cooling liquid driving means to emit the heat the outside through said metal pipe arrangement.
15. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 14, wherein said water-cooling jacket is placed at a location other than a light passage portion in said liquid crystal panel.
16. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 14, wherein said water-cooling jacket is placed at in a light passage portion in said liquid crystal panel so that said liquid crystal panel is opposed to said water-cooling jacket in its whole area.
17. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 14, wherein said water-cooling jackets are provided between the incoming polarizing plate and the liquid crystal panel body and between the liquid crystal panel body and the outgoing polarizing plate, respectively, and on a light incoming side of said incoming polarizing plate and on a light outgoing side of said outgoing polarizing plate, so that the cooling liquids flowing in mutually opposed water-cooling jackets are in opposite directions.
18. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 15, wherein said water-cooling jackets are provided between the incoming polarizing plate and the liquid crystal panel body and between the liquid crystal panel body and the outgoing polarizing plate, respectively, and on a light incoming side of said incoming polarizing plate and on a light outgoing side of said outgoing polarizing plate, so that the cooling liquids flowing in mutually opposed water-cooling jackets are in opposite directions.
19. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 14, wherein said water-cooling jacket has an inflow opening for the cooling liquid in an upper portion thereof, and a discharge opening for the cooling liquid in a lower portion thereof.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A motor mounting device, including:
a motor housing disposed about a longitudinal housing axis, the housing including a cylindrical housing section centered on the housing axis and having a proximal end, a distal end, an interior surface region extending distally from the proximal end, and a detent feature disposed at a selected axial location along the interior surface, wherein the interior surface is inclined to gradually converge in a distal direction, the housing further including a distal end housing section integral with the cylindrical housing section and comprising an axially directed first central opening and a first bearing seat centered on the housing axis; and
a rotor retaining member disposed about a retainer axis, comprising an inner section and an annular peripheral section surrounding the inner section, wherein the peripheral section has an annular outer surface centered on and parallel to the retainer axis, and an arcuate peripheral edge adjacent one end of the outer surface and occupying a plane perpendicular to the retainer axis, wherein the inner section comprises a second central opening and a second bearing seat centered on the retainer axis;
wherein the proximal end is open to receive a rotor, including a rotor shaft and first and second bearings mounted along the shaft at first and second spaced apart axial locations, for distal insertion into the cylindrical housing section toward a predetermined axial location with the first bearing engaged with the first bearing seat to mount the rotor shaft for rotation relative to the housing about the housing axis;
wherein the rotor retaining member is insertable distally into the cylindrical housing section with the rotor at the predetermined axial location, and with the retainer and housing axes substantially coincident and with the annular peripheral edge providing a leading edge of the retaining member, to locate the peripheral edge and the peripheral outer surface adjacent and radially inwardly of the interior surface near said proximal end, to form a sliding engagement of the peripheral outer surface and the interior surface region for urging the retaining member radially toward a centering on the housing axis while the second bearing seat is moved into engagement with the second bearing and moving the annular peripheral edge is moved into engagement with the detent feature to prevent further distal travel of the retaining member relative to the housing beyond a rotor retaining position; and
a fastening component adapted to secure the retaining member integrally with the housing to axially fix the rotor at the predetermined axial location.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the cylindrical housing section comprises a tubular wall and a plurality of ribs extending longitudinally along an inside surface of the tubular wall, wherein ribs comprise respective proximal end regions extending proximally beyond the proximal end of the cylindrical housing.
3. The device of claim 2 wherein:
the proximal end regions of the ribs are fusible, and when fused after placement of the retaining member at the rotor retaining position, cooperate to provide the fastening component.
4. The device of claim 3 wherein:
the proximal end regions of the ribs are selectively fused to locate the fusible radially inwardly of the annular outer surface.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the cylindrical housing section comprises a tubular wall and a plurality of ribs extending longitudinally along an inside surface of the tubular wall, wherein the ribs are recessed distally from the proximal end of the cylindrical housing section and respective proximal ends of the ribs cooperate to provide the detent feature.
6. The device of claim 2 wherein:
the rotor retaining member comprises a plurality of recesses arranged circumferentially about the peripheral section, wherein each of the recesses is adapted to accommodate one of the ribs to determine an angular position of the retaining member relative to the cylindrical housing section.
7. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the distal end section comprises a fixture composed of a plurality of fixture elements arranged about the central opening and having respective radially inward free end regions, wherein the fixture elements cooperate to provide the first bearing seat.
8. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the rotor retaining member further comprises an axially directed inner wall segment defining the second central opening and the second bearing seat.
9. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the fastening component comprises a fusible portion of the cylindrical housing section near the proximal end.
10. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the housing further comprises a tubular outer housing section surrounding the cylindrical housing section and centered on the housing axis, and a plurality of vanes joined to the cylindrical housing section and the outer housing section to integrally couple the housing sections and guide a flow of air through an annular space between the housing sections.
11. The device of claim 10 wherein:
the cylindrical housing section, the distal end section, the outer housing section, and the vanes together comprise a single unitary structure.
12. A motor assembly comprising the device of claim 1, and further comprising:
a motor stator secured integrally with respect to the housing and substantially centered on the housing axis, wherein the fastening component comprises a fusible proximal portion of the cylindrical housing section, said proximal portion being fused and overlying the rotor retaining member, acting through the rotor retaining member to maintain the rotor at the predetermined axial location.
13. A process for assembling a motor, including:
providing a motor housing assembly comprising a cylindrical housing section disposed about a longitudinal housing axis, open at a proximal end thereof and having a transversely oriented housing end section at a distal end thereof, and an interior surface region extending distally from the proximal end and inclined to converge gradually in the distal direction, and a detent feature disposed at a selected axial location along the interior surface, the motor housing assembly further comprising a stator integral with the cylindrical housing section and substantially centered on the housing axis;
providing a rotor comprising a rotor shaft, a rotor magnet and back iron integral with the shaft, and first and second bearings mounted to the shaft on opposite sides of the magnet and back iron, and inserting the rotor into the cylindrical housing section through the open end and moving the rotor assembly distally toward a predetermined axial location at which the first bearing engages the first bearing seat to mount the shaft for rotation relative to the housing about the housing axis;
with the rotor at the predetermined axial location, inserting a rotor retaining member distally into the cylindrical housing section to a rotor retaining position with the outer peripheral surface disposed radially inwardly of and engaged with the interior surface region to substantially center the retaining member on the housing axis with a leading distal edge of the retaining member in contact with the detent feature; and
with the rotor retaining member in the rotor retaining position, fixing the retaining member to the cylindrical housing section to secure the rotor at the predetermined axial location for rotation about the housing axis.
14. The process of claim 13 wherein:
a portion of the cylindrical housing section near the proximal end is fusible, and fixing the rotor retaining member to the cylindrical housing section comprises selectively fusing the fusible portion.
15. The process of claim 14 wherein:
the cylindrical housing section comprises a tubular wall and a plurality or ribs extending longitudinally along the inside surface region, wherein the ribs comprise respective proximal end regions extending proximally beyond the proximal end of the cylindrical housing section; and
fixing the retaining member comprises selectively fusing the proximal end regions adjacent the annular peripheral section.
16. The process of claim 15 wherein:
selectively fusing the proximal end regions comprises controlling a flow of fusible material to prevent the material from flowing radially outwardly of the peripheral section.
17. The process of claim 15 wherein:
the rotor retaining member comprises a plurality of recesses arranged circumferentially about the peripheral section, and inserting the retaining member comprises angularly aligning the retaining member with the cylindrical housing section to position each of the ribs within a corresponding one of the recesses.
18. The process of claim 13 wherein:
the cylindrical housing section comprises a tubular wall and a plurality of ribs extending longitudinally along an inside surface of the tubular wall, and the ribs are recessed distally from the proximal end of the cylindrical housing; and
inserting the retaining member comprises moving the leading distal edge into contact with the ribs.
19. The process of claim 13 wherein:
providing the motor assembly comprises inserting a motor stator into the cylindrical housing section, and securing the stator integrally and substantially centered on the housing axis.
20. The process of claim 19 wherein:
inserting the motor stator comprises effecting a sliding engagement of a distal end region of the stator with the interior surface region, and using the sliding engagement to center the stator distal end region as the stator is distally inserted.
21. The process of claim 19 wherein:
securing the stator comprises inserting a stator retaining member into the cylindrical housing section to an axial location distally of the detent feature and into contact with a proximal end region of the stator, then fixing the stator retaining member integrally within the cylindrical housing section.