All The Claims

1. A supercharging system comprising:
an internal combustion engine;
a supercharger configured to supercharge the internal combustion engine;
a supercharging pressure reduction mechanism configured to reduce a supercharging pressure;
a first sensor configured to detect an intake air amount of the internal combustion engine;
a second sensor configured to detect the supercharging pressure; and
an electronic control unit configured to
compute an integrated value of the intake air amount during a predetermined period on the basis of a detected result of the first sensor, the predetermined period being a period from a start of an increase in the supercharging pressure to an end of the increase at the time when the intake air amount is increased in a state where no command to reduce the supercharging pressure by the supercharging pressure reduction mechanism is issued,
acquire a peak supercharging pressure from a detected result of the second sensor, the peak supercharging pressure being an amount of increase in the supercharging pressure during the predetermined period, and
determine whether the supercharging system has an abnormality on the basis of the integrated value of the intake air amount and the peak supercharging pressure.
2. The supercharging system according to claim 1, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to
set a determination value, the determination value at the time when the peak supercharging pressure is high being larger than the determination value at the time when the peak supercharging pressure is low, and
when the integrated value of the intake air amount is larger than the determination value, determine that the supercharging system has an abnormality.
3. The supercharging system according to claim 1, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to
set a determination value, the determination value at the time when the integrated value of the intake air amount is large being larger than the determination value at the time when the integrated value is small, and
when the peak supercharging pressure is lower than the determination value, determine that the supercharging system has an abnormality.
4. The supercharging system according to claim 1, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to compute the integrated value of the intake air amount as a value through integration of a value, obtained by subtracting a second intake air amount from a first intake air amount, during the predetermined period, the first intake air amount being the intake air amount detected at the start of an increase in the supercharging pressure, the second intake air amount being the intake air amount detected currently.
5. The supercharging system according to claim 1, wherein
the supercharger is a turbocharger that supercharges the internal combustion engine by driving a compressor with the use of a turbine, the turbine is installed in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine and is operated by stream of exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust passage, the compressor is installed in an intake passage of the internal combustion engine,
the supercharging pressure reduction mechanism is a waste gate valve installed in a bypass passage, the bypass passage is a passage that bypasses the turbine and allows the exhaust gas to flow, and
the waste gate valve is configured to
interrupt passage of the exhaust gas flowing through the bypass passage when the waste gate valve is fully closed, and
allow passage of the exhaust gas flowing through the bypass passage when the waste gate valve is open.
6. The supercharging system according to claim 1, wherein
the supercharger is a mechanical supercharger that supercharges the internal combustion engine by driving a compressor by using power of the internal combustion engine, the compressor is installed in an intake passage of the internal combustion engine,
the supercharging pressure reduction mechanism is a relief valve, the relief valve is provided at a portion downstream of the compressor in the intake passage of the internal combustion engine, and
the relief valve is configured to
emit part of intake air flowing through the portion to an outside when the relief valve is open, and
interrupt the emission of part of the intake air flowing through the portion when the relief valve is fully closed.
7. A diagnostic method for a supercharging system, the supercharging system including an internal combustion engine, a supercharger, a supercharging pressure reduction mechanism, and an electronic control unit, the supercharger being configured to pressurize intake air flowing through an intake passage of the internal combustion engine and transfer the intake air to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, the supercharging pressure reduction mechanism being configured to reduce a supercharging pressure, the supercharging pressure being a pressure of the intake air that is transferred to the combustion chamber by the supercharger, the diagnostic method comprising:
obtaining, by the electronic control unit, an integrated value of an intake air amount during a predetermined period, the predetermined period being a period from a start of an increase in the supercharging pressure to an end of the increase at the time when the intake air amount is increased in a state where no command to reduce the supercharging pressure by the supercharging pressure reduction mechanism is issued; and
determining, by the electronic control unit, whether the supercharging system has an abnormality on the basis of a correlation between a peak supercharging pressure during the predetermined period and the integrated value of the intake air amount, the peak supercharging pressure being an amount of increase in the supercharging pressure.
8. The diagnostic method according to claim 7, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to, when the integrated value of the intake air amount deviates to a positive side with respect to a value during normal times, which is estimated from the peak supercharging pressure, determine that the supercharging system has an abnormality.
9. The diagnostic method according to claim 7, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to, when the peak supercharging pressure deviates to a negative side with respect to a value during normal times, which is estimated from the integrated value of the intake air amount, determine that the supercharging system has an abnormality.
10. The diagnostic method according to claim 7, wherein
an integrated value of an amount of increase in the intake air amount from the start of an increase in the supercharging pressure is used as the integrated value of the intake air amount, which is used to determine whether the supercharging system has an abnormality.
11. The diagnostic method according to claim 7, wherein
the supercharger is a turbocharger that supercharges the internal combustion engine by driving a compressor with the use of a turbine, the turbine is installed in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine and is operated by stream of exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust passage, the compressor is installed in the intake passage of the internal combustion engine,
the supercharging pressure reduction mechanism is a waste gate valve installed in a bypass passage, the bypass passage is a passage that bypasses the turbine and allows the exhaust gas to flow, and
the waste gate valve is configured to
interrupt passage of the exhaust gas flowing through the bypass passage when the waste gate valve is fully closed, and
allow passage of the exhaust gas flowing through the bypass passage when the waste gate valve is open.
12. The diagnostic method according to claim 7, wherein
the supercharger is a mechanical supercharger that supercharges the internal combustion engine by driving a compressor by using power of the internal combustion engine, the compressor is installed in the intake passage of the internal combustion engine,
the supercharging pressure reduction mechanism is a relief valve, the relief valve is provided at a portion downstream of the compressor in the intake passage of the internal combustion engine, and
the relief valve is configured to
emit part of intake air flowing through the portion to an outside when the relief valve is open, and
interrupt the emission of part of the intake air flowing through the portion to the outside when the relief valve is fully closed.
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. An electrolysis solution for electrolytic ceramic coating used in a method of electrolytic ceramic coating on metal in which at least one metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, magnesium, a magnesium alloy, titanium and a titanium alloy is used as an anode to anodize a surface of the anode in the electrolysis solution as glow discharge andor arc discharge is generated to thereby form a ceramic film on the surface of the metal,
wherein the electrolysis solution comprises water, a water-soluble zirconium compound, a complexing agent, carbonate ion, and at least one member selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal ion, ammonium ion and an organic alkali,
wherein the zirconium compound is included at a concentration (X) in terms of zirconium of 0.0001 to 1 molL,
wherein the complexing agent is included at a concentration (Y) of 0.0001 to 0.3 molL,
wherein the carbonate ion is included at a concentration (Z) of 0.0002 to 4 molL,
wherein a ratio of the concentration (Y) of the complexing agent to the concentration (X) in terms of zirconium (YX) is at least 0.01,
wherein a ratio of the concentration (Z) of the carbonate ion to the concentration (X) in terms of zirconium (ZX) is at least 2.5, and
wherein the electrolysis solution has an electrical conductivity of 0.2 to 20 Sm.
2. The electrolysis solution for electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 1,
wherein the electrolysis solution further comprises poorly soluble particles of at least one member selected from the group consisting of an oxide, a hydroxide, a nitride and a carbide, and
wherein the poorly soluble particles are included at a concentration of 0.01 to 100 gL.
3. The electrolysis solution for electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 1, further comprising at least one metallic ion selected from the group consisting of silicon, titanium, aluminum, niobium, yttrium, magnesium, copper, zinc, scandium and cerium at a concentration in terms of elemental metal of 0.0001 to 1 molL.
4. The electrolysis solution for electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 1, wherein the electrical conductivity is 0.5 to 10 Sm.
5. The electrolysis solution for electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 1, wherein the zirconium compound is a zirconium carbonate compound.
6. The electrolysis solution for electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 1,
wherein the metal used as the anode is aluminum or an aluminum alloy and
wherein the electrolysis solution has a pH of 7 to 12.
7. The electrolysis solution for electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 1,
wherein the metal used as the anode is magnesium or a magnesium alloy and
wherein the electrolysis solution has a pH of 9 to 14.
8. The electrolysis solution for electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 1,
wherein the metal used as the anode is titanium or a titanium alloy and
wherein the electrolysis solution has a pH of 7 to 14.
9. The electrolysis solution for electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 1, further comprising a water-soluble phosphate compound at a concentration in terms of phosphorus of 0.001 to 1 molL.
10. A method of electrolytic ceramic coating on meal in which at least one metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, magnesium, a magnesium alloy, titanium and a titanium alloy is used as an anode and an application means at least part of which shows a positive side is used to perform an anodizing treatment of a surface of the anode in the electrolysis solution for electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 1 as glow discharge andor arc discharge is generated to thereby form a ceramic film on the surface of the metal,
wherein an average current density during positive side application is in a range of 0.5 to 40 Adm2, and
wherein the anodizing treatment is performed at a positive side duty ratio (T1) of 0.02 to 0.5, a negative side duty ratio (T2) of 0 to 0.5, a non-application time ratio per unit time (T3) of 0.35 to 0.95, and these ratios simultaneously meet the following formulas:
0\u2266T2T1\u226610
0.5\u2266T3(T1+T2)\u226620.
11. The method of electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 10, wherein at least part of the anodizing treatment is performed by a monopolar electrolysis process in which a positive side application is only made or a bipolar electrolysis process in which a composite application of positive and negative sides is made.
12. The method of electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 10, wherein at least one voltage waveform is selected from the group consisting of square waveform, sinusoidal waveform, trapezoidal waveform and triangular waveform and has a frequency of 5 to 20,000 Hz, and the current density andor the voltage on the positive and negative sides is controlled.
13. The method of electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 10, wherein at least part of the anodizing treatment is performed under voltage control mode and another part of the anodizing treatment is performed under current control mode.
14. The method of electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 11, wherein in the bipolar electrolysis process, at least part of the anodizing treatment is performed while separately controlling the positive and negative sides according to arbitrarily selected waveforms, is performed under the voltage control mode on both of the positive and negative voltage sides, or is performed under the current control mode on both of the positive and negative voltage sides.
15. The method of electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 11, wherein in the bipolar electrolysis process, at least part of the anodizing treatment is performed while separately controlling the positive and negative sides according to arbitrarily selected waveforms, and is performed under the voltage control mode on the positive voltage side and under the current control mode on the negative voltage side, or is performed under the current control mode on the positive voltage side and under the voltage control mode on the negative voltage side.
16. The method of electrolytic ceramic coating according to claim 10, wherein a peak voltage during negative side application is controlled in a range of 0 to 350 V in terms of absolute value.
17. The method of electrolytic ceramic coating, wherein two or more anodizing treatment steps are performed by an anodization process using an electrolysis solution according to claim 1, the electrolysis solutions for the respective anodizing treatment steps may be the same or different and the anodization processes for the respective anodizing treatment steps may be the same or different.
18. A metallic member comprising: a substrate of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, magnesium, a magnesium alloy, titanium and a titanium alloy; and a ceramic film present on a surface of the metal substrate,
wherein the ceramic film has a thickness of 0.1 to 100 \u03bcm,
wherein the ceramic film has a Vickers hardness of 450 to 1,900 Hv, and
wherein the ceramic film contains zirconium in an amount of 5 to 70 wt %.
19. The metallic member according
to claim 18, wherein the ceramic film is formed by electrolytic ceramic coating.
20. The metallic member according to claim 18, which is a member selected from the group consisting of engine cylinder, engine piston, engine shaft, engine cover, engine valve, engine cam, engine pulley, turbo housing, turbo fin, vacuum chamber inner wall, compressor inner wall, pump inner wall, aluminum wheel, propeller, gear part, gas turbine, heat sink, printed board and mold.

1. A method for exchanging the DC bias network integrated in a programmable electro-mechanical impedance slide screw tuner;
said DC network comprising a DC branch and an RF branch;
and said tuner comprising a test (input) port and an idle (output) port and a slotted airlineslabline between said ports and one or more mobile carriages traveling along the axis of said slabline, each said carriage carrying one or more RF probes insertable vertically into the slot of said slabline;
said DC network being inserted between the test port and the idle port of the tuner and mounted on the center conductor of said slabline;
and whereby said DC branch has two ends, one end being connected to the center conductor of the slabline and the other end to an external power supply;
and whereby said RF branch has two ends and is inserted in series with the center conductor of the slabline;
and whereby said DC branch is inserted between the tuner test port and the RF branch;
and whereby said DC network is exchangeable by disconnecting the DC branch from the center conductor.
2. A tuner as in claim 1 whereby each said metallic RF probeslug is attached to a precise vertical axis, which allows said slug to be inserted into said slabline and create controllable capacitive coupling with the center conductor of said slabline; both said tuner carriages and slugs being controlled remotely by associated gear and electronic control and firmware.
3. A tuner as in claim 1 whereby each said DC bias network separates the RF signal from the DC power and is mounted on the center conductor of said slabline;
and whereby said network can be exchanged by interrupting the connection of the DC branch with the center conductor.
4. DC bias networks for a tuner as in claim 1, comprising an inductive assembly (DC branch) and a DC blocking capacitor assembly (RF branch);
whereby said DC branch comprises at least one inductorcoil and at least one grounded shunt capacitor; said inductor and capacitor being dimensioned to filter out RF signal of a specific frequency range and allowing DC current to flow though;
and whereby said RF branch comprises at least one capacitor dimensioned to block DC current but allow RF signal of a specific frequency range to flow through.
5. A mechanism for dis-connecting and replacing the DC branch of said DC bias network in claim 4 to the center conductor of the slabline of said tuner ensuring low disturbance of the electric field inside the slabline, by attaching the lead of the inductorscoils to the top of the center conductor.
6. A DC bias network as in claim 4 in which said DC branch is made of a conductive cylinder in which the said coil is inserted axially without electrically contacting the cylinder;
whereby the first end of said coil is attached to the center conductor of the slabline;
and whereby the second end of said coil is attached to a grounded feed-through capacitor;
and whereby said second end of said coil is connected to an external DC power supply;
and whereby said conductive cylinder makes perfect galvanic contact with the grounded lateral walls of said slabline.
7. A DC bias network as in claim 4 in which said DC branch is made of a conductive cylinder in which two coils, coil 1 and 2, are inserted axially in series without making electrical contact with the cylinder walls, each coil having two ends, 1 and 2;
and two grounded feed-through capacitors 1 and 2;
whereby end 1 of coil 1 is attached to the center conductor of the slabline;
and whereby end 2 of coil 1 is connected to feed-through capacitor 1;
and whereby end 2 of coil 1 is also connected to end 1 of coil 2;
and whereby end 2 of coil 2 is connected to feed-through capacitor 2;
and whereby said second end of said coil 2 is also connected to an external DC power supply;
and whereby said conductive cylinder makes perfect galvanic contact with the grounded lateral walls of said slabline.
8. A DC branch as in claim 7, whereby
coil 1 is selected for having a high resistance and resonance at high frequencies in the range of the operating frequency;
and coil 2 is selected for having high resistance and resonance at low frequencies, below the range of the operating frequency;
and feed-through capacitor 1 is selected for having low resistance at high frequencies in the range of the operating frequency;
and feed-through capacitor 2 is selected for having low resistance at low frequencies, below the range of the operating frequency.
9. DC bias networks for a tuner as in claim 1 comprising a DC blocking capacitor in line with the center conductor of the slabline, in order to stop DC current from flowing through the idle tuner port towards the load or source impedances connected to said tuner.
10. A DC bias network as in claim 9 in which said DC blocking capacitor is placed between the tuner test port and the tuner carriage closest to the test port.
11. A DC bias network as in claim 9 in which said DC blocking capacitor is placed between the first tuner carriage, closest to the test port, and the second tuner carriage of a multi-carriage tuner.
12. A DC bias network as in claim 9 in which said DC blocking capacitor is placed between the idle tuner port and the last tuner carriage, closest to the idle tuner port.
13. A DC bias arrangement as in claim 9 in which said DC blocking capacitor assembly (DC block) is connected externally to the tuner slabline at said tuner’s idle port.
14. An RF branch as in claim 9 in which said DC blocking capacitor is inserted by cutting the center conductor in two horizontal sections and attaching a chip capacitor in series between the two sections of said conductor.
15. A DC branch as in claim 9 in which said DC blocking capacitor is made by cutting the center conductor in two horizontal sections and drilling a centered hole in one section and machining a cylindrical protrusion in the opposite section of slightly smaller diameter as the corresponding hole in the other section;
and insulating the surface of said protrusion andor inner surface of said hole by depositing a thin dielectric coat, or anodizing, and inserting said protrusion into said hole of the center conductor.
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 drug delivery connector comprising:
a housing including an open distal end, an open proximal end and a chamber in fluid communication with the open distal end and the open proximal end, the housing including a distal connection portion and a proximal connection portion for attaching the housing to a container; and
a ball valve disposed within the chamber and forming a releasable seal with the open distal end to prevent fluid flow from the open proximal end to the open distal end, the ball valve movable in a proximal direction to release the releasable seal to permit fluid flow from the open proximal end to the open distal end.
2. The drug delivery connector of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a proximal wall disposed adjacent to the open proximal end, the proximal wall including at least one aperture allowing constant fluid communication between the open proximal end and the chamber.
3. The drug delivery connector of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a distal wall disposed adjacent to the open distal end, the distal wall including a bore having a perimeter, the perimeter configured to contact the ball valve to form a releasable seal between the ball valve and the distal wall.
4. The drug delivery connector of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a structure for forming one or more fluid flow paths around the ball valve selected from one or more of a longitudinal protrusion, a rib, an expanding sidewall and combinations thereof.
5. The drug delivery connector of claim 1, wherein the distal connection portion comprises one of a luer lock fitting or a luer slip fitting.
6. The drug delivery connector of claim 1, wherein the proximal connection portion comprises one of a lure lock fitting or a luer slip fitting.
7. The drug delivery connector of claim 1, wherein the ball valve is moveable in a distal direction to form the releasable seal with the open distal end upon application of a force in the distal direction on the ball valve.
8. The drug delivery connector of claim 7, wherein attachment of a container comprising a fluid to the proximal connection portion causes the fluid to apply the force to the ball valve in the distal direction to move the ball valve in the distal direction to form a releasable seal with the open distal end.
9. The drug delivery connector of claim 8 further comprising an actuator for attachment to the open distal end of the housing, the actuator comprising an open distal end and a projection extending in the proximal direction and including at least one aperture in fluid communication with the open distal end of the actuator and the open distal end of the housing.
10. The drug-delivery connector of claim 9, wherein upon attachment of the actuator to the open distal end of the housing, the projection applies a force on the ball valve in the proximal direction to move the ball valve in the proximal direction.
11. The drug delivery connector of claim 1, wherein the chamber of the housing comprises a retaining ring that inhibits movement of the ball valve in the proximal direction.
12. The drug delivery connector of claim 11, wherein the ball valve is movable in the proximal direction upon application of a pre-determined force on the ball valve in the proximal direction.
13. The drug delivery connector of claim 12 further comprising an actuator for attachment to the open distal end of the housing, the actuator comprising an open distal end and an projection extending proximally and including at least one opening in fluid communication with the aperture at the distal end of the actuator and the open distal end of the housing, wherein attachment of the actuator to the open distal end of the housing causes the projection to apply the minimum force on the ball valve in the proximal direction.
14. A drug delivery connector comprising:
a housing including an open distal end, an open proximal end and a chamber in fluid communication with the open distal end and the open proximal end;
means for attaching the housing to a delivery site comprising an actuator;
means for attaching the housing to a container; and
means for permitting and blocking fluid communication between the container and the delivery site from the open proximal end to the open distal end.
15. The drug delivery connector of claim 14, wherein the means for permitting and blocking fluid communication comprises a ball valve.
16. The drug delivery connector of claim 14, wherein the means for permitting and blocking fluid communication comprises a spring-loaded ball valve.
17. A method of delivering liquid medication to a catheter connector comprising:
attaching an actuator to the catheter connector;
providing a drug delivery connector comprising a housing with an open proximal end and an open distal end and a chamber in fluid communication with the open proximal end and open distal end, the housing including a valve disposed in the chamber for forming a releasable seal with the open distal end;
attaching a tip of a syringe barrel to the open proximal end of a drug delivery connector;
filling the syringe barrel with a pre-determined amount of liquid medication;
filling the chamber of the drug delivery connector with the liquid medication to form a seal between the valve and the open distal end; and
releasing the seal between the valve and the open distal end by attaching the open distal end to the actuator.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the actuator comprises a projection having a length that extends into the chamber and an open path in fluid communication with the catheter connector.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein releasing the seal comprises causing the projection of the actuator to apply a force in a proximal direction to the valve.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein releasing the seal permits the liquid medication to flow from the chamber to the open path.