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1. Technical Field
The invention generally pertains to tree trimmers, and more specifically to an apparatus that is self-propelled and climbs trees in a multi-axis controlled manner for trimming husk, bark, fronds and/or branches with speed and depth managed revolving trimmers.
2. Background
The prior art is replete with various apparatuses and trimmers that allow a user to remove tree branches from a tree trunk without having to climb the tree. Removing tree branches is particularly difficult when palm trees are concerned as the fronds have sharp needle-like barbs on their ends that are connected to husks.
The method typically utilized for trimming and/or dressing palm trees is to manually cutoff and remove the frond adjacent to the palm husk. This operation requires a mechanical hoist or some other method of lifting a trimmer to the area that is to be trimmed. In some cases, the trimming is performed manually by actually climbing the tree using climbing gear that is well known in the art. Regardless of how the tree trimming is accomplished, the increased risk and potential liability associated with such methods increases costs considerably. Additionally, the work is labor intensive and the initial cost of elaborate lifting equipment add further expense.
Over the years various devices have been developed to allow remote tree trimming. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,997,311 B2 issued to Prout, Jr. describes a self-propelled climbing apparatus having a climbing section with a main frame incorporating climbing mechanisms attached thereto that include upper and lower wheels that use springs to pull the climbing mechanisms into the trunk to maintain engagement. U.S. Pat. No. 7,422,041 to Smith et al. describes a tree trimming device that automatically climbs a tree and shears limbs or debris as it climbs, the device having an anchor structure with horizontal clamps, a cutting assembly with horizontal clamps, vertical connecting pistons and a cutting blade assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,346 B1 to Heckmaier describes a palm tree trimming machine having a resilient frame, upright assemblies, drive assemblies, resilient alignment bar assemblies, spring tensioner assemblies, a buss assembly and saw assemblies. U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,966 to Clouston describes a self-propelled tree pruning apparatus having a cutting tool with helical edges, driven wheels and hugger wheels that are rotatably attached to the frame and uses pneumatic air bags to urge the hugger wheels toward the driven wheels such that releasing pressure causes the device to descend to the ground. U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,168 to Ericksson describes a trimming device that utilizes a harvester head positioned at a pre-selected transverse position relative to a tree trunk and an actuator that urges a portion of the device into engagement with the tree and trimming member at a pre-selected transverse position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,585 to Barnhill et al. describes a debarking/declimbing apparatus having a rotatably driven spool device that removes the bark as the tree parts are moved lengthwise across its axis. U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,184 to Fuminao describes a tree pruning machine having a cutting unit mounted on a frame and wheels elevating vertically. U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,603 to Hori describes an automatic lopping machine which has a body with a drive unit, a chain saw and a number of drive wheels that revolve helically around the tree trunk to ascend the tree trunk. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2007/0181217 to Adhoot describes a tree trimming apparatus that uses wheel assemblies that are angularly positionable into contact with the tree trunk to support and move the apparatus while cutting with a trolley mounted saw.
Such conventional tree trimming devices present a variety of problems and difficulties, including uneven cutting, and lack of stability and control in climbing and trimming when using remotely controlled tree trimming devices. The invention provides for an improved tree trimming apparatus that addresses the above noted problems and difficulties, as well as provides additional features and functionality not found in conventional devices. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to random access memories in general which are operable in both a conventional and a sequential mode in particular.
2. Description of Prior Art
A conventional memory comprises a plurality of memory cells. Typically, for purposes of addressing, the cells are functionally arranged in columns and rows. A column decoder and a row decoder are provided for decoding the address of each one of the cells. When a cell is so addressed, the contents of the cell are read out to a data output line or bus, or data from a data input line or bus is written into the cell.
In many computer operations data may be stored and retrieved from a predetermined sequence of cells in a memory, giving rise to the possible advantage that such cells can be addressed in a manner which reduces the time required to retrieve or enter data therefrom or thereto.
Heretofore, the high-speed sequential retrieval of data in a memory has generally been used only in dynamic memories as distinguished from conventional static memories, the latter typically being unable to utilize this technique. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resist pattern calculation method and a calculation program storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a lithography process, a resist pattern is formed by an exposure process in which light from a reticle pattern is projected onto a resist by a projection optical system to expose the resist to light, and a development process in which the exposed resist is developed. A resist pattern having a desired shape is desirably transferred and formed on the wafer. However, due to, for example, the optical proximity effect (OPE) and low k1, a resist pattern having a desired shape cannot be transferred onto the wafer in practice. This is one factor which deteriorates the device characteristics. Therefore, to improve the device characteristics, it is necessary to calculate the shape of a resist pattern.
To calculate a resist pattern, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-148404 discloses a method of calculating a resist pattern from a light intensity distribution obtained by convoluting a light intensity distribution computed based on an optical image. In the technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-148404, the light intensity distribution of the optical image is convoluted using various variance values (to be referred to as diffusion lengths hereinafter) to obtain a diffusion length close to that obtained in the exposure result. In the technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-148404, a diffusion length obtained in the modeling result is then applied to calculation of the convolution integral of the light intensity distribution of a pattern to be calculated, thereby calculating the size of a resist pattern.
Unfortunately, it is difficult for the prior art technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-148404 to calculate the size of a resist pattern with high accuracy. The inventor of the present invention examined the cause of this difficulty, and concluded that with the current tendency toward low k1, a method of mathematically convoluting a light intensity distribution computed based on an optical image cannot represent the diffusion phenomenon of an acid in a resist with sufficiently high precision. This is for the following reason. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a chemical reaction produced during exposure in a chemically amplified resist. During exposure, in a region with a high light intensity (bright region), an acid (H−) in the resist sequentially undergoes a chain reaction with a resist polymer. In contrast to this, in a region with a low light intensity (dark region), the acid (H+) is neutralized with a base (OH−) contained in a quencher. That is, the behavior of the acid differs depending on the magnitude of the intensity of exposure light (whether the region of interest is bright or dark). The prior art technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-148404, in which the optical image is convoluted in the same mathematical form regardless of the magnitude of the light intensity, does not take into consideration the above-mentioned behavior of the acid. | {
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This invention relates to the field of semiconductor assembly, and more particularly to a method for removing surface defects from oxide or other materials.
A structure commonly formed during the manufacture of semiconductor devices such as microprocessors, memory devices, and logic devices includes a plug or stud manufactured from polycrystalline silicon (poly) or metal such as tungsten. For purposes of illustration only, this disclosure discusses the formation of a plug from poly. The plug typically contacts a doped layer in a semiconductor substrate or contacts some other underlying structure. To manufacture the plug, a masked dielectric layer is formed over the underlying structure and an etch is completed to form a hole in the dielectric which exposes the underlying structure to which contact is to be made. A blanket poly layer is deposited over the dielectric layer which fills the hole in the dielectric layer and contacts the underlying structure. The poly is then removed from a planar surface of the dielectric, typically using a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process which leaves the plug formed within the dielectric layer.
Ideally, the process described above would leave a poly plug having an upper surface which is flush with the upper level of the dielectric layer. CMP results in a sufficiently-flush plug but it is not a particularly clean or uniform process and, in practice, can damage surface structures. Previous dry etches are cleaner than CMP but can result in a plug having a concave upper surface which is recessed into the dielectric layer. It is difficult to form a reliable electrical connection to a recessed plug with a subsequently formed layer such as metal.
Another problem with the process described above results from surface defects in the dielectric, such as surface scratches, cracks, or other voids or recesses formed during manufacture of the dielectric layer. During conductor formation these surface defects are filled with poly which remains in the void after CMP removal of the poly from the surface of the dielectric. The poly remaining in the voids, also referred to as xe2x80x9cstringers,xe2x80x9d can form a short between other conductive structures such as between two or more plugs or between other structures such as metal lines which are subsequently formed.
A method for forming a conductive plug or stud which reduces or eliminates the problems described above would be desirable.
The present invention provides a new method that reduces problems associated with the manufacture of semiconductor devices, particularly problems resulting in a concave profile of a conductive plug and resulting in stringers or other undesirable conductive fragments. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention a dielectric layer is formed having a desired hole therein and further having an undesired void therein. A blanket conductive layer is formed over the dielectric layer and a first etch is performed which clears a portion of the conductive layer. The first etch removes the conductive layer at a substantially faster rate than it removes the dielectric layer. Subsequently, a second etch is performed which removes the conductive layer and the dielectric layer at about the same rate. At least a portion of the dielectric layer is removed during this etch to remove the void and any conductive layer within the void.
The first etch quickly clears the conductive layer and ideally stops just as the underlying dielectric layer is exposed. The second etch removes the dielectric layer and the conductive layer ideally at the same rate to form a conductive plug having an upper surface which is flush with an upper surface of the dielectric layer. It would be possible to perform the second etch only and omit the first etch, but the chemistry required for the second etch removes the conductive layer at a much slower rate and thus would decrease manufacturing throughput.
Objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description read in conjunction with the appended claims and the drawings attached hereto. | {
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The present invention relates to a panel construction suitable for forming or cladding a wall or ceiling.
One type of such panel construction includes elongate panels and one or more groups of mutually parallel supports, which each have, on their sides facing the panel surfaces, two parallel free longitudinal edges spaced from one another. The panels are in most cases fixed to the elongated supports and extend at a certain angle thereto, so that they cross the supports.
There are also constructions having several groups of mutually parallel supports, the groups of supports extending in directions different from one another and forming between them surface zones into which facings, for example in the form of coffers, are inserted.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a wall or ceiling design which can be mounted in a simple manner on parallel supports and the manufacture of which is cheap. At the same time, the design is also intended to be suitable for mounting a new facing with the lowest possible production expense, using supports which are already present, for example within the scope of renovation work, and using elongated panels or the like, even if there are groups of supports extending in different directions. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a capping unit suitable for use in a recording apparatus having an ink-jet recording head which is moved in the width direction of a recording sheet, and forms images on the recording sheet or the like by jetting ink droplets according to print data.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ink-jet recording apparatus records print data on a recording sheet or the like by jetting ink droplets from nozzle openings while ink is pressurized in pressure generating chambers. However, such an ink-jet recording apparatus has potential inconveniences resulting in poor printing quality due to an increase in ink viscosity caused by the evaporation of an ink solvent from the nozzle openings, the solidified ink and dust sticking to the nozzle openings and the penetration of air bubbles therethrough. Therefore, the ink-jet recording apparatus is normally provided with a capping means for sealing up the nozzle openings of a recording head during the non-printing operation and a cleaning means for cleaning a nozzle plate, if necessary.
For example, as disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 6-8460, there has been proposed a capping unit having a cap which is pressed by a recording head or a carriage for carrying the recording head to move between a non-capping position and a capping position, the capping unit being placed outside a printing area, a cam face and a cam follower for moving the cap to the side of a nozzle plate of the recording head while the recording head is kept moving from the non-capping position to the capping position.
According to the arrangement above, the carriage is only moved whereby to ensure that it is brought into resilient contact with and seals up the nozzle plate. However, the number of nozzle openings of a black recording head for jetting black ink in order to meet high-density, high-speed printing requirements and the number of nozzle openings of a color recording head for jetting three kinds of colored ink tend to increase. As the size in the paper feeding direction and the size in the width direction of paper grow larger, the size of the cap for sealing up each recording head becomes inevitably larger and the inconvenience is that the sealing capability is lowered.
Moreover, the ink penetrated between the cap and the recording head is set up because of the use of quick-drying ink and the like, thus causing the cap to rigidly stick to the recording head, and this develops the problem of necessitating a strong force of separating the cap therefrom.
Further, there is another problem arising from a decrease in sealing strength as the sealing surface varies with the head-to-head tolerance and so forth because a platen gap is caused to greatly fluctuate when characters are printed on various printing media.
There is still another problem developing from the residual ink remaining at the recording head when an attempt is made to form a thin-wall portion on the open face to secure a sealing condition by decreasing the elasticity of the cap in order to solve the problems mentioned above.
On the other hand, a tube pump is employed for a pump unit for filling the recording head with ink and supplying negative pressure to the cap at the time of cleaning in view of cost and reliability and besides part of the tube used to form the pump is directly used as a connection channel with the cap. Therefore, there still exists another problem resulting from great repulsive force of the tube, which acts as what impedes the adhesion of the cap, thus reducing the adhesion thereof because such a tube has to be placed in a limited space and is made of relatively rigid material so as to resist against the pressure applied by a roller while functioning as a pump tube. | {
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The present invention relates to an improved method and system for detecting a failure of a compressed air consumer circuit in an electronic compressed air system for vehicles.
Multi-circuit protective valves are known that divide an energy supply into several mutually independent consumer circuits and, in the event of failure of one consumer circuit, for example by line rupture, maintain a minimum pressure in the intact circuits. If a defect allowing more air to be lost than can be resupplied by the compressor occurs in a service-brake circuit, the pressure in the service-brake circuit drops mutually until the pressure reaches the closing pressure of the valve. The pressure in the defective circuit continues to drop, whereas the closing pressure is maintained in the intact circuits. While the pressure in the defective circuit continues to drop, the circuits that are still intact can be refilled by the compressor until the opening pressure of the defective circuit is reached. A dynamic equilibrium is established in which the delivered compressed air can supply the circuits that are still intact (as well as secondary consumer circuits), although at the same time air is being lost via the defect. During compressed air consumption of limited duration, as in the case of heavy braking, momentary dynamic pressure collapses occur which do not correspond to the reservoir pressures of the individual consumer circuits. This behavior is much more pronounced in circuits without compressed air reservoirs than in circuits with compressed air reservoirs. A disadvantage of the known multi-circuit protective valves is that they react to such dynamic pressure collapses and shut off the circuit in question if such circuit has a low pressure level. The occurrence of such momentary dynamic pressure collapses, therefore, leads, at low pressure level, to premature shutoff of circuits, even though the respective pressure at the end of the event (i.e., at the end of the pressure collapse) would still be higher than the closing pressure. | {
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Telephone units are typically used in a surface for desk mount configuration or a wall mount configuration for mounting on posts. Manufacturers have attempted to accommodate users by providing single telephone units with both wall mount and desk mount capabilities. For desk mount situations differing users have different requirements as to viewing angle based on the angular orientation of the telephone unit relative to the desk surface.
Various and complicated constructions have been proposed to provide the adjustment in the angular orientation of the telephone unit to the desk surface. These typically have limitations either as to the degree of angular adjustability or present a complicated design which adds cost to manufacturing and adds complexity with regard to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,944 discloses a multiposition telephone unit with a single piece stand. The stand can be oriented in one of three positions. In one position the telephone unit is set at a small angular position a relative to the desk surface and in a second position of the stand the telephone unit is set in a greater angular position β relative to the desk surface. The stand may be connected in a third position which is adapted for mounting the unit for a wall mount situations. Although the arrangement is simple to use, the arrangement is limited with regard to a finer adjustment of the angular orientation of the telephone to the desk. Further as the stand must be disconnected and reconnected to change the angular orientation, some effort is involved in making the change from the greater angle to the smaller angle and vice verse.
Various manufacturers provide more complex designs to change the angle of the telephone unit (viewing angle). Typically several parts are involved increasing the cost of manufacturing the overall telephone unit. Some arrangements provide for only desk mount adjustment or wall mount adjustment but not both. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coating composition containing a combination of polymer-bound ultraviolet light absorbing compounds.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Ultraviolet absorbers are used in coating compositions to reduce the degradation of the coating resulting from the effects of atmospheric oxygen, moisture and ultraviolet light. The degradation is manifest in cracking, loss of gloss, changes in shade, delamination and formation of bubbles in the cured coating films. It is known that stabilizers, such as ultraviolet (uv) absorbers, substantially prevent or minimize such damage in coatings.
Examples of ultraviolet light absorbers include benzotriazoles, 2-hydroxybenzophenones oxanilide, and 2-hydroxyphenyltriazines. Benzotriazoles are highly effective ultraviolet light absorbers over a broad spectrum, but these compounds are often not stable and may migrate to other coating layers in a multi-layer coating system or may chemically degrade in the coating composition, thereby losing efficacy as ultraviolet light absorbers. Triazine ultraviolet absorber compounds are more chemically stable, but do not have the range of ultraviolet light absorption that the benzotriazoles have.
It is an object of the present invention to improve the stability of ultraviolet light absorbers in a coating composition, to enhance ultraviolet light absorption and to reduce degradation of a coating composition due to ultraviolet light exposure. | {
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Fibromyalgia is a widespread rheumatic condition which is characterized by chronic pain in fibrous tissues such as muscles and connective tissues, fatigue, multiple tender points, abnormal sleep patterns, stiffness, headaches, irritable bowels numbness and other symptoms. It is also associated with chronic fatigue syndrome. The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown and there are no known cures. Various medications are used to treat fibromyalgia, as well as hypnosis, but there are no known medications which permanently relieve its symptoms.
The inventor of the present invention has previously discovered that pain resulting from exposed or damaged nerve ends, commonly referred to as phantom limb pain, can be relieved or alleviated by shielding the painful area with a cloth woven from a yarn containing threads of a conductive metal. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,473, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, which issued to the inventor on 31 Mar., 1987, this pain reduction method has also been found to be effective to reduce stump spasms and stump pains in amputees, pain from scars other than those resulting from amputation and also arthritic pain and menstrual pain and cramps.
The yarn of the cloth used in this previously-discovered method is preferably composed of from 2 to 35% by weight of conductive metal filament, and the balance of natural or synthetic textile fiber such as nylon. The metal may be any conductor, but a stainless steel alloy has been found to be effective.
The inventor of the present invention has also discovered that a similar method can be used to relieve muscle pain and soreness and reduce nervousness in horses. This method of treating horse pain and nervousness comprises fashioning a horse blanket of a cloth woven from a yarn containing threads of conductive metal, and placing it on the horse. This method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,877, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, which issued to the inventor of the present invention on 2 May, 1989. The inventor of the present invention has also discovered that a similar method can be used to alleviate delayed onset muscle soreness as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,351 issued 14 Nov., 2000, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. See also Zhang J., Clement D, and Taunton J. “The Efficacy of Farabloc, an Electromagnetic Shield, in Attenuating Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness” Clin J. Sport Med, 2000 January; 10(1): 15-21. PMID: 106995845 [PubMed—indexed for MEDLINE].
It has now been discovered that a similar method may be implemented sucessfully in the treatment of fibromyalgia in humans. | {
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As integrated circuit chips become more complex, increasing use is made of hybrid integrated circuit (HIC) technology, in which a ceramic substrate, upon which relatively complex printed circuitry can be formed, is used to support and interconnect one or more integrated circuit chips. The HIC is usually encased in a protective encapsulation. While this encapsulation may be a hard plastic package, increasing use is being made of silicone resins as an encapsulating medium.
As described, for example, in the U.S. patents of Wong, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,508,758, granted Apr. 2, 1985, No. 4,396,796, granted Aug. 2, 1983, and No. 4,552,818, granted Nov. 12, 1985, each of which is assigned to a subsidiary company of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, Inc., a particularly attractive encapsulate is known as RTV (for room temperature vulcanized) silicone. Such silicones are useful encapsulants because of their good thermal stability, good dielectric properties, chemical stability and resistance to atmospheric deterioration. In its uncured state, RTV silicone is fairly fluid and flows about semiconductor chips mounted on a ceramic substrate to completely encase such chips. If the chips are connected to the conductor pattern of the substrate by tiny bonding wires, RTV silicone is capable of flowing about such bonding wires and encasing them without breaking them. After curing, the silicone is sufficiently hard to protect the chips from the hazards of routine use as well as from atmospheric contaminants.
The printed circuit conductors on the surface of the ceramic substrate are typically terminated by lead conductors extending in a cantilever fashion from opposite sides of the substrate. When wired into a circuit, the leads typically constitute a mechanical support for the HIC as well as being electrical conductors.
Most of the assembly functions in modern electronic technology are performed by automated apparatus. Thus, for example, uncured silicone is dispensed onto a substrate surface as part of an assembly line operation, and it is intended that it initially be contained on the substrate by surface tension. After exposure to room temperature conditions for a few minutes, the RTV begins to cure, and after a longer time period, it reaches its final state of mechanical stability. One problem that has been confronted is the tendency of the uncured silicone to flow along the conductive leads and become hardened to the leads during subsequent cure. It is usually intended that the leads be free of contaminants and not insulated so that they can be conveniently and dependably connected to other apparatus such as printed wiring boards, again typically through automated procedures. Thus, silicone that has flowed onto the leads must normally be manually removed prior to subsequent processing.
Masking tape over the leads has been used to reduce the problem of silicone flow onto the leads, but has usually been found to be less than satisfactory. It is difficult to get a masking tape to adhere well to the individual leads without resort to an adhesive that would leave harmful contaminants on the leads after the tape is removed. Conventional masking tape employing a conventional adhesive tends to lift off from the leads at various locations prior to deposition of the silicone. We have found that the fluid silicone then tends to flow between the masking tape and the leads by capillary action at locations at which there is not complete adhesion of the tape to the leads. Even with complete adhesion, the silicone sometimes flows over the masking tape by capillary action, thereby tending to drain the surface of the substrate of the fluid silicone. | {
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In the field of monitoring brain activity the use of electroencephalograph devices (EEG's) is well known. EEG's are used to measure and record small electrical signals which occur on the surface of the scalp as a result of brain activity. Typically, an EEG system includes a plurality of electrodes attached at selected positions on the subject's scalp, a corresponding number of lead wires, and a processing console. Typically, each electrode is connected to the processing console via a separate lead wire. The processing console is provided for signal selection, amplification, and conditioning. Also included in EEG systems are means for measuring electrode impedance, calibrating equipment, and observing and permanently recording data processed by the processing console.
It is well known that the processing console and the observation and recording equipment are often incorporated within a single unit. The single unit, however, is too large to be easily transportable by the subject under observation. Further, because long wires between the electrodes and the processing console are impractical, the subject must remain relatively stationary when using most available EEG systems.
Some EEG systems have been developed to overcome the problem of the subject having to remain still during observation. These devices include portable recorders which may be carried by the subject under observation. These systems do not, however, include means for contemporaneous observation of the record. It is well known that such observation is often desired.
One method for making EEG measurements and contemporaneous observations more practical is to replace the wire links between the electrodes and the processing console with wireless links. Thus, situations such as those described above--i.e., when long wires might encumber other simultaneous attention needed by the subject or when the mobility of the subject might be impaired--would be at least partially resolved.
Other devices have been produced to monitor, process and record data received from the vital organs of a body. Typical of the art are those described in the following U.S. Patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 3,253,588 R. F. Vuilleumier, et al. May 31, 1966 3,859,988 C. C. Lencioni, Jr. Jan. 14, 1975 3,943,918 R. A. Lewis Mar. 16, 1976 4,089,329 L. A. Couvillon, Jr., et al. May 16, 1978 4,186,749 T. B. Fryer Feb. 5, 1980 4,245,645 P. M. Arseneault, et al Jan. 20, 1981 4,279,258 E. R. John Jul. 21, 1981 4,409,987 R. A. McIntyre Oct. 18, 1983 4,471,786 H. Inagaki, et al. Sep. 18, 1984 4,495,950 D. E. Schneider Jan. 29, 1985 ______________________________________
Of these patents, the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,253,588 ('588); 3,943,918 ('918); 4,089,329 ('329); 4,186,749 ('749); and 4,471,786 ('786) patents disclose devices which incorporate telemetric transmittal of sensed data to a selected processing center. Each discloses a device using transmission over radio frequencies (r-f) using amplitude modulation (AM) or frequency modulation (FM) methods similar to those used for broadcast radio. The transmitted signals are thus subject to the same interference and distortion as broadcast radio signals.
It is well known that FM transmissions are more reliable than AM transmissions. However, it is also known that FM signals are subject to distortion and interference from signals broadcast from other stations. Though in the field of radio broadcasting these disturbances are mostly annoyances to signal receptors, in the field of EEG monitoring such disturbances will provide erroneous data concerning the brain activity of the subject. In this context, distortion and interference is detrimental to accurate analysis and is therefore undesirable.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a means for transmitting signals detected by electrodes placed on a subject's body to a signal processor using telemetric methods.
It is also an object of the present invention to substantially reduce the distortion and interference typically present in standard transmission of radio frequency signals.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electroencephalographic monitoring and recording device wherein digital data communications is incorporated to provide accurate transmission of detected brain activity signals.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a lightweight transmitter for amplifying and digitizing EEG signals from the electrodes.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a means whereby the data transmitted may be checked and verified to insure that data received by a receiving device is valid, and further that any invalid data received is ignored. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for supporting a workpiece. It is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with supporting a semiconductor wafer within a vacuum system.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
In processing a semiconductor wafer, it is often necessary to carry out at least some of the processing at reduced pressure. Processes needing this include thin film sputtering, plasma etching, and chemical vapour deposition including plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition. In an apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer is supported on a platen within an enclosure, and then the pressure is reduced within that enclosure. It is important to ensure that there is no contamination of the wafer from e.g. the fabric of the platen. For this reason, it is standard practice to use a metal platen with a highly polished surface, so that the risk of contamination of the wafer is minimised.
When carrying out processing of a semiconductor wafer, it is usually necessary to achieve a specific wafer temperature rapidly, and to maintain that specific temperature during the processing operation. Techniques for controlling the temperature of the platen and of the enclosure are well established, but such techniques do not always achieve the result of satisfactory control of wafer temperature. In particular, there is normally high thermal resistance between the wafer and the platen and, although proposals have been made to overcome this problem by mechanically clamping the wafer to the platen, or by introducing gas between the wafer and the platen, such techniques have not been wholly successful. The introduction of gas also has the disadvantage of causing a stress on the wafer, and mechanical clamping may generate particles. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a power system module including a power device and a control device, and a manufacturing method of the power system module.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional power system modules are manufactured with a power device integrally packaged with a control device. Power devices include MOSFETs, bipolar transistors, and insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT). Control devices have a wide variety of control circuits depending on the type of product. An example of a power system module with a power device and a control device stacked and molded on a single lead frame is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,399 assigned to Mitsubishi, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
However, this type of conventional power system module has the following problems.
First, it is difficult to provide a power system module according to a customer's requirements. This is because the control circuitry differs according to the type of product, and the power system module for each product is different. Accordingly, in order to meet a customer's requirements, a different power system module must be provided for each case, which is problematic from a manufacturing point of view.
Also, conventional power system modules are costly because a control device must be added to an already expensive power module package. A control device can take up considerable volume, which increases the cost of the power system module and makes it difficult to employ complex control circuitry.
Additionally, conventional power system modules are difficult to highly integrate because a power device and a control device are both contained in a single package, resulting in low integration. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to in-band signaling to indicate an end of incoming stream of data for real-time, or near real-time and user-context update.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wireless communication systems have developed through various generations, including a first-generation analog wireless phone service (1G), a second-generation (2G) digital wireless phone service (including interim 2.5G and 2.75G networks) and a third-generation (3G) high speed data/Internet-capable wireless service. There are presently many different types of wireless communication systems in use, including Cellular and Personal Communications Service (PCS) systems. Examples of known cellular systems include the cellular Analog Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), and digital cellular systems based on Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), the Global System for Mobile access (GSM) variation of TDMA, and newer hybrid digital communication systems using both TDMA and CDMA technologies.
The method for providing CDMA mobile communications was standardized in the United States by the Telecommunications Industry Association/Electronic Industries Association in TIA/EIA/IS-95-A entitled “Mobile Station-Base Station Compatibility Standard for Dual-Mode Wideband Spread Spectrum Cellular System,” referred to herein as IS-95. Combined AMPS & CDMA systems are described in TIA/EIA Standard IS-98. Other communications systems are described in the IMT-2000/UM, or International Mobile Telecommunications System 2000/Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, standards covering what are referred to as wideband CDMA (W-CDMA), CDMA2000 (such as CDMA2000 1xEV-DO standards, for example) or TD-SCDMA.
In W-CDMA wireless communication systems, user equipments (UEs) receive signals from fixed position Node Bs (also referred to as cell sites or cells) that support communication links or service within particular geographic regions adjacent to or surrounding the base stations. Node Bs provide entry points to an access network (AN)/radio access network (RAN), which is generally a packet data network using standard Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) based protocols that support methods for differentiating traffic based on Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. Therefore, the Node Bs generally interact with UEs through an over the air interface and with the RAN through Internet Protocol (IP) network data packets.
In wireless telecommunication systems, Push-to-Talk (PTT) capabilities are popular with service sectors and consumers. PTT can support a “dispatch” voice service that operates over standard commercial wireless infrastructures, such as W-CDMA, CDMA, FDMA, TDMA, GSM, etc. In a dispatch model, communication between endpoints (e.g., UEs) occurs within virtual groups, wherein the voice of one “talker” is transmitted to one or more “listeners.” A single instance of this type of communication is commonly referred to as a dispatch call, or simply a PTT call. A PTT call is an instantiation of a group, which defines the characteristics of a call. A group in essence is defined by a member list and associated information, such as group name or group identification.
Applications, which are receiving one or more incoming streams of data (e.g., audio, video, etc), need to update a user context when the steam of data ends. Some applications may have real-time (e.g., minimum latency) requirements for the user context update, and therefore these applications require precise and instantaneous knowledge regarding when the stream of data ends. Conventionally, the end of the stream of data can be inferred after a period of traffic inactivity, or can be expressly indicated via the use of out-of-band signaling (e.g., via an “END” signal). Generally, out-of-band signaling can be delayed and can be complex to implement. Also, relying on out-of-band signaling for indicating the end of a stream of data may leave a gap in time where the “END” signal arrives either too early or too late, which results in the possibility of truncating the stream short (e.g., if “END” signal arrives early) or permitting the stream to continue in a starved mode (e.g., if “END” signal arrives late, such that RTP packets stop arriving but there is no user-context update).
In addition, the use of inactivity timers involves updating the user context after a threshold period where no streaming packets associated with the stream of data are received. Inferring the end of a session based on an inactivity timer can be difficult because the inactivity timer must accommodate temporary network disruptions as well as actual stream termination, and a single timer value is unlikely to be appropriate for both scenarios. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to litter retrieval tools and, in particular, is a tool with a plurality of spikes for piercing and retrieving litter and a discharging mechanism for discharging litter from the plurality of spikes. The invention is designed to work in coordination with a bucket having a wire handle.
2. Prior Art
Retrieving of litter has long been a nuisance. It has been a back-breaking job to pick litter up by hand. This invention will virtually eliminate the need to bend over and retrieve litter by hand.
Other inventions have tried to solved this problem in various ways. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1970093 and 3183031 are a couple of inventions which use a single spike mounted at the end of a tubular member. There are a couple of problems with this single spike tool for retrieving litter. First, it is sometimes hard to pierce hit a small piece of litter, such as a cigarette butt, with a single spike. Second, the trash or litter may easily fall off a single spike. However, my invention has a plurality of spikes at the end of the tubular member. With a plurality of spikes there is a better chance that one of the spikes will pierce the litter. Usually several of the spikes pierce the litter, retaining the litter more securely until ready for discharge.
There have been other inventions which have tried to solve the problem by using a plurality of spikes. These inventions used a plate with a plurality of holes matching the plurality of spikes allowing the plurality of spikes to protrude through. The plate is used for the purpose of discharging of litter from the plurality of spikes.
On Mar. 5, 1935 R. Belford, U.S. Pat. No. 1,993,314, invented a litter retrieving tool containing a plurality of spikes. There is a handle attached to the top end of a elongated hollow tubular member and at the bottom end of the elongated hollow tubular member is a plate containing the plurality of spikes. Inside the elongated hollow tubular member is a slidable shaft and attached to the slidable shaft is a plate containing a plurality of matching holes for the plurality of spikes. The plate is slidable over the plurality of spikes and the purpose of the plate is discharging litter. Mounted transversely at the other end of the slidable shaft is a smaller shaft. The smaller shaft protrudes through slits found in the elongated hollow tubular member. A handle, which is slidable over the elongated hollow tubular member, is fixed to the slidable shaft by the smaller shaft. The slidablity of the handle is controlled by the length of the slit in the elongated tubular member. Discharging of litter is accomplished by grasping the top handle with one hand and grasping the slidable handle with the other hand, whereby pushing downward on the slidable handle which is fixed to slidable shaft, will force the discharge plate downward to discharge the litter from the plurality spikes. This type of handle only allows discharging of litter.
But I, Donald F. Gatch, have added another dimension to the slidable handle. The handle I have designed is not fixed to the slidable shaft in the elongated hollow tubular member as inside U.S. Pat. No. 1,993,314. The handle a is short tubular member, with a larger inner diameter, which is slidable between the handle attached on top of the elongated tubular member and a flanged shaft protruding through slits found in the elongated hollow tubular member allowing movement independently of the discharge mechanism. Because the non-fixed slidable handle can work independently of the discharge mechanism, it can serve two functions. First, the handle can be used to discharge litter by grasping the top handle in one hand and grasping and pushing push downward on the non-fixed slidable handle with the other hand. This causes the bottom of the non-fixed slidable handle to butt against the flanged shaft, forcing the flanged shaft downward, which forces the discharge plate downward as well. This flanged shaft is only one part of several parts which make up the discharge mechanism, which discharges litter from the plurality of spikes. The flanged shaft of the discharge mechanism is mounted transversely through a larger slidable shaft inside the elongated hollow tubular member. Attached to the other end of the larger slidable shaft is a discharge plate. The discharge plate contains a plurality of holes matching the plurality of spikes, making the discharge plate slidable over the plurality of spikes. The second function of the non-fixed slidable handle is as a guide for the plurality of spikes. This is accomplished by grasping the non-fixed slidable handle with one hand and grasping the handle attached on top of the elongated hollow tubular member with the other and guiding the plurality spikes toward targeted litter. This can be very handy when litter lies in out of reach places, such as under low lying tree branches.
There were other patents with a plurality of spikes for retrieving litter. The following U.S. Pat. No. are representative: 1,246,487, 2,500,647, 2,738,215, 3,633,958 and 4,856,835. U.S. Pat. No. 2,500,647, inventor Ernest Shuithers; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,738,215, inventor B. Thompson are similar to my invention. These inventions use a discharging mechanism which is designed to be pushed down with a foot, forcing the discharge plate downward, discharging litter from the plurality of spikes. There are several problems with using your foot to operate the discharge mechanism,it is awkward to balance yourself on one foot while using the other foot to push the mechanism down while grasping the handle with your hands. You will need to be very coordinated to accomplish this motion without losing your balance. There is an even greater problem with this foot discharge mechanism. A foot can only be lifted a short distance from the ground. Therefore, whatever the litter is to be discharged into will have to be low to the ground. Inventor Bryan Thompson, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,738,215 says "The lever is operated by user's foot, so that the refuse can be discharged into a truck bed if desired." The only way this could be accomplished is by climbing in and out of the truck bed with the tool every time which is very inefficient.
But I, Donald F. Gatch, have designed a similar discharging mechanism which works with the wire handle of a bucket and can be used while carrying the bucket. These types of buckets are very common and come in various sizes, shapes and materials, such as metal or plastic. My discharge mechanism works like this: while carrying a bucket in one hand, and my invention in the opposite hand, the flanged shaft of the discharge mechanism can be latched into the wire handle of the bucket where the invention can then be drawn upward forcing the discharge plate downward discharging the litter from the plurality of spikes, whereby litter will fall into the bucket. This design of the discharging mechanism has a couple of advantages over a foot operated discharge mechanism. First, you do not need to be as coordinated to use this invention as with a foot operated discharge mechanism. Second, this invention is more efficient. When litter is retrieved, it can be discharged immediately or whenever desired into a bucket for temporary storage. The bucket can be emptied whenever desired, into a truck bed or larger trash container. If the truck bed happens to be near or convenient for receiving litter into, my invention has the capability of discharging the litter directly into back of the truck bed without having to climb in the back of the truck at all. This is accomplished by using the slidable handle, previously described, to discharge the litter from the plurality of spikes into the truck bed. | {
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Booth recoding is a useful tool in reducing the number of steps and circuitry required to multiply a multi-bit multiplicand "a" (a[m:0]) by a multiplier "b" (b[n:0]), where "m" and "n" are non-negative integers.
In the remainder of this application, unless otherwise noted, to illustrate the invention, we will use as an example a 4 bit by 3 bit multiplication. That is, "m" is 4, "n" is 3, "a" has a value -4.sub.10, and "b" has a value -7.sub.10. Hence, bits a[4:0] are a binary signed representation of "a" having respective binary values 1, 1, 1, 0, and 0, and bits b[3:0] are a binary signed representation of "b" having respective binary values 1, 0, 0, and 1. However, the present invention applies to booth multiplication of integer or fractional multiplicands and multipliers of any length and value.
The following shows a longhand form for multiplying "a" by "b". ##EQU1## As is known in the art, a 2's complement number can be extended to any bit length. Such sign extension is performed by padding on the left with "1" bits for negative numbers (e.g., partial product #1) and "0" bits for non-negative numbers (e.g., partial products #2, #3, and #4). Note that bit b[3] has a weight of negative 8.
The above longhand form is referred to as radix-2 multiplication. In radix-2 multiplication, each multiplier bit b[3], b[2], b[1], and b[0] is multiplied by the entire multiplicand "a" to produce a respective partial product. The number of partial products (e.g., four in the above example) equals the number of digits "n+1" in the multiplier "b".
However, a conventional radix-4 modified booth recoding technique reduces the number of required partial products in half compared to the above radix-2 multiplication as described below. For example, the operation a.times.b produces only integer[(n+2)/2] partial products (e.g., two partial products for bits b[3:0]).
FIG. 1 shows a conventional booth recoding circuit 100 which includes a booth recoder 110 having input lines 101-103 carrying signals representing respective bits b[1:-1] where b[-1] is a dummy bit having a value set at a binary zero. Booth recoder 110 receives the signal representing bits b[1:-1] (e.g., 0, 1, and 0, respectively) and outputs three signals representing bits NEG, ZERO, and TWO over respective lines 111-113 to partial product generator ("PPG") 120. Table 1 shows the values of NEG, ZERO, and TWO that booth recoder 110 outputs for each permutation of input bits b[2i-1:2i-3] (i.e., b[1:-1] in this example) and the first partial product PP1 output by PPG 120. Note that "w.sub.a " is the weight of the least significant bit a[0] of "a", and "w.sub.b " is the weight of the least significant bit b[0] of "b".
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Values of Value of Bits b[2i-1:2i-3] NEG, ZERO, TWO PPG Output Respectively Respectively (PPi) ______________________________________ 0, 0, 0 1, 1, 0 zero 0, 0, 1 0, 0, 0 2.sup.(2i-2) aw.sub.a w.sub.b 0, 1, 0 0, 0, 0 2.sup.(2i-2) aw.sub.a w.sub.b 0, 1, 1 0, 0, 1 2.sup.(2i-1) aw.sub.a w.sub.b 1, 0, 0 1, 0, 1 (-1)2.sup.(2i-1) aw.sub.a w.sub.b 1, 0, 1 1, 0, 0 (-1)2.sup.(2i-2) aw.sub.a w.sub.b 1, 1, 0 1, 0, 0 (-1)2.sup.(2i-2) aw.sub.a w.sub.b 1, 1, 1 0, 1, 0 zero ______________________________________
For clarity, "w.sub.a " and "w.sub.b " are equal to one in the above example since "a" and "b" are integer values. PPG 120 has input lines 111-113 carrying signals represented respective bits NEG, ZERO, and TWO and also has an input line 114 which carries a signal representing bits a[4:0]. According to Table 1, a high ZERO bit indicates that the partial product is zero regardless of the value of the NEG and TWO bits. If only the NEG bit is high, the partial product is -a while if only the NEG and TWO bits are high, the partial product is -2a. If only the TWO bit is high, the partial product is 2a while if no bits are high, the partial product is a.
A similar booth recoder and partial product generator are provided and similarly configured for each set of bits b[2i-1:2i-3] for each "i" where "i" is the set of all positive integers equal to or less than (n+2)/2 (e.g., "i" is 1 and 2 if "n" equals 3). Booth recoding is a technique that is known in the art and is described in, for example, Principles of CMOS VLSI design, A Systems Perspective (ISBN: 0-201-53376-6) on pages 547-555, and in, for example, Modern VLSI design. A Systems Approach (ISBN: 0-13-588377-6) on pages 235 to 238, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Sometimes, as in the above Principles of CMOS VLSI design, A Systems Perspective reference, a negated partial product is sent to adder 270 of FIG. 2 as a one's complement partial product (PP) accompanied by an increment control signal (N<1>) as on page 552 of Principles of CMOS VLSI design, A Systems Perspective.
It is often necessary to use booth multiplication to perform the operation shown in equation (1). EQU product=a.times.-b (1)
"-b" is obtained from "b" according to equation (2) where b' is the 1's complement (i.e., all bits b[3:0] are inverted) of "b". EQU -b=b'+W.sub.b (2)
Therefore, one conventional method to obtain "-b" is to increment the 1's complement of "b".
FIG. 2 shows a conventional circuit 200 for obtaining "product" of equation (1). Circuit 200 includes an inverter 252 which receives bus 253 carrying signals representing bits b[3:0] (e.g., 1, 0, 0, 1), inverts bits b[3:0] to obtain bits b'[3:0], and outputs signals representing bits b'[3:0] (e.g., 0, 1, 1, 0) on bus 254. Adder 260 receives the signals representing bits b'[3:0] on bus 254, receives a signal representing weight value "w.sub.b " (e.g., one) on line 251, adds the weight value "w.sub.b " to the 1's complement multiplier b', and outputs signals representing the resultant negated multiplier "-b" having bits -b[3:0] (e.g., 0, 1, 1, 1) on bus 261.
Bus 261 includes lines 262-265 which carry signals representing respective bits -b[3:0]. Booth recoders 210 and 230 receive signals representing bits -b[3:0] on lines 262-265 and receives a dummy bit -b[-1] having a binary value of zero from line 266. Booth recoders 210 and 230 send respective signals over lines 211-213 and 231-233 to respective partial product generators 220 and 240 where signals representing partial products PP1 and PP2 are output on busses 221 and 241, respectively, to adder 270 according to Table 1.
The circuit of FIG. 2 requires the use of an extra adder 260 in order to increment. Adder 260 requires space and time in order to perform the above operations. Furthermore, circuit 200 has no flexibility to selectively perform any operations other than "product=a.times.-b" of equation (1).
Therefore, what is desired is a circuit and method for flexibly performing booth multiplication operations such as "a.times.-b" using inputs "a" and "b" without using an extra adder before performing booth multiplication. | {
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A need exists for a method using a telescoping walkway configured to provide a means for offshore transfer of liquefied natural gas that can maintain a stable distance between a floating liquefaction vessel and a transport vessel, such as a ship.
A need exists for a method using a transport vessel with a dynamic positioning system “DPS” along with a telescoping walkway configured to dynamically react to environmental conditions, such as wind and waves, to extend and retract an inner walkway to maintain a stable distance between the floating liquefaction vessel and the transport vessel.
A further need exists for a method using a telescoping walkway with a quick release configured to release ships from the telescoping walkway when the inner walkway has extended to a maximum extension or retracted to a minimum retraction, and to cease flow of fluid between the floating structure and the ship for safety.
The present embodiments meet these needs.
The present embodiments are detailed below with reference to the listed Figures. | {
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The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is a selective proteolysis pathway. In the UPS, a cellular protein, after being modified by polyubiquitylation, is targeted to the proteasome for proteolysis. Polyubiquitylation is a posttranslational modification process that requires a member of the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (also known as E2 enzymes), which works in concert with a member of the ubiquitin protein ligases (also known as E3 enzymes). E2 carries an activated ubiquitin as a thiolester complex (E2˜Ub) and docks onto E3, which contains a substrate protein binding site, and successive transfer of the ubiquitin in E2˜Ub to the E3-bound substrate leads to polyubiquitylation of a substrate protein. In this process, the discharged E2 leaves after each cycle and is reconverted into the E2˜Ub form through the action of the ubiquitin-activating enzyme (also known as E1). For the targeting of a protein to the proteasome, this polyubiquitination requires the formation of a polyubiquitin chain in which the K48 residue in ubiquitin serves as the linkage for ubiquitin chain elongation. Other forms of polyubiquitin linkages (K29, K11 and K63) are also found, and these polyubiquitin chains are used for other functions unrelated to UPS.
Protein degradation via UPS serves a wide range of important functions, some of which are essential for cell and animal survival. This process is used in the regulation of many gene transcription events in response to environmental changes. For example the activation of NFkB in inflammatory response is mediated by the selective degradation of IkB, and the selective degradation of HIF1 provides a means to exercise control on the transcription of genes under hypoxia. Other examples are provided by cell cycle transition and checkpoint controls where the expression of specific regulatory proteins is regulated in part by their selective degradation via UPS. UPS is also used in protein quality control in which misfolded or damaged proteins can be selectively removed by degradation.
There is a continuing need for compositions and methods for identifying modulators of UPS mediated protein degradation. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improved valve constructions and particularly, to a sealing gasket that has so-called beam strength as utilized in a valve construction. One phase of the invention deals with a sealing element for fluid control usage that will have an improved resistance to position displacement and that will simplify valve construction and operation. Another phase relates to improved valve constructions for utilizing a resilient gasket constructed in accordance with the invention.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, it has been customary in rotary and other valve applications to utilize so-called resilient O-ring gaskets. A so-called slot type of valve utilizes such a ring gasket in an inset position about a segment of its hemispherical or circular shape for sealing-off direct flow between inlet and outlet portions of a housing by, for example, rotating a back-up or control body which supports the gasket. There is a tendency for fluid pressure, and particularly higher fluid pressures, to elongate the gasket, since the material is relatively incompressible, and to thus force a portion of the gasket out of its seating groove or slot. In such a free sealing O-ring type of utilization, pressure elongation of the gasket causes it to bulge into the port area to not only effect a poor sealing operation, but primarily, to expose a portion of the ring such that it will be damaged in the rotation of the valve body, as by tearing. The replacement of the gasket then becomes essential. I have found that in this type of installation the difficulty arises from the fact that the gasket does not have beam strength sufficient to resist deformation and stay in position in its sealing groove. | {
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Certain substituted di-tert-butylphenol derivatives are known to be effective as anti-inflammatory, analgesic and/or antipyretic agents. Of particular interest regarding the subject invention is tebufelone, 1-3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl-5-hexyn-1-one, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,966 issued to Loomans, Matthews and Miller on Nov. 24, 1987. (The compound is termed 4-(5'-hexynoyl)-2,6-di-tert-butylphenol therein.) Related compounds are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,303 issued to Loomans, Matthews and Miller on Jul. 11, 1989 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,428 issued to Dobson, Loomans, Matthews and Miller on Jul. 18, 1989.
It is an object of the subject invention to provide pharmaceutical compositions for peroral administration of the above anti-inflammatory compound which provide good bioavailability of the compound. | {
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1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a sliding element, in particular a piston ring, having at least one sliding surface that has a coating which comprises, from the inside outwards, a metal-containing bonding layer and a DLC layer consisting of a covering layer and a main layer.
2. Related Art
Increasingly stricter legal provisions and heightened customer wishes for a lower fuel consumption by internal combustion engines require a sustained reduction in mechanical friction losses. However, this is also accompanied by significantly increased component requirements owing to the introduction of performance optimisations such as direct injection and turbocharging, which for their part require particularly wear-resistant components.
To safeguard the service life of highly stressed piston rings, hard-metal coatings are being increasingly used, such as described in DE 44 19 713. Metal nitrides, such as, for example, CrN and TiN, are thereby configured as a single or multilayer, mostly by means of physical vapour deposition.
In order to reduce the friction in the system piston ring/cylinder barrel face, amorphous DLC (diamond-like carbon) coatings are used (VDI Standard 2840). However, these have a service life that is still too short. And, owing to the formation of internal stresses that reduce the adhesiveness and thus the service life, the thickness of the layers to be applied is limited to approximately 5 him, such as described in DE 10 2005 063 123 B.
DE 40 40 456 C1 and DE 198 50 218 C1 describe the production of amorphous, hydrogen-free, diamond-like carbon layer systems using conventional sputtering processes or so-called vacuum arc processes. The high degree of hardness of the layers promises improved wear values. The hardness is thereby substantially determined by the bonding character, i.e. the ratio of sp2 to sp3 carbon bonds. The higher the sp3 content, the harder and more rigid the DLC layer.
The production of so-called hydrogen-free or oxygen- and hydrogen-free, amorphous, diamond-like layers is described in DE 10 2008 022 039 A1 and EP 0 724 023 A1.
However, the high degree of hardness and the high elastic modulus of amorphous, hydrogen-free, diamond-like carbon layers are also accompanied by some technological problems. On the one hand, the surfaces of the very hard layers must be very smooth in order to prevent the occurrence of disruptions on the surface at a high surface pressure and thus the failure of the layer system. Furthermore, a so-called bi-metallic effect occurs owing to different thermal expansion coefficients of the basic material of the piston ring and the coating thereof. This bi-metallic effect is intensified further owing to differences in the elastic modulus of the two materials. As a consequence, when the temperature increases, an increased pressure occurs in the joint region of the piston ring, which can cause increased wear. Furthermore, the partner element (cylinder barrel face) can be damaged by scoring and high liner wear. | {
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Field
Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication, and more particularly to techniques and apparatuses for reducing inter-cell interference with low-latency traffic in New Radio.
Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various telecommunication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, and broadcasts. Typical wireless communication systems may employ multiple-access technologies capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power, and/or the like). Examples of such multiple-access technologies include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, single-carrier frequency-division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems, time division synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA) systems, and Long Term Evolution (LTE). LTE/LTE-Advanced is a set of enhancements to the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile standard promulgated by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).
A wireless communication network may include a number of base stations (BSs) that can support communication for a number of user equipment (UEs). A UE may communicate with a BS via the downlink and uplink. The downlink (or forward link) refers to the communication link from the BS to the UE, and the uplink (or reverse link) refers to the communication link from the UE to the BS. As will be described in more detail herein, a BS may be referred to as a Node B, a gNB, an access point (AP), a radio head, a transmit receive point (TRP), a new radio (NR) BS, a 5G Node B, and/or the like.
The above multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunication standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless communication devices to communicate on a municipal, national, regional, and even global level. New radio (NR), which may also be referred to as 5G, is a set of enhancements to the LTE mobile standard promulgated by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). NR is designed to better support mobile broadband Internet access by improving spectral efficiency, lowering costs, improving services, making use of new spectrum, and better integrating with other open standards using OFDM with a cyclic prefix (CP) (CP-OFDM) on the downlink (DL), using CP-OFDM and/or SC-FDM (e.g., also known as discrete Fourier transform spread OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM)) on the uplink (UL), as well as supporting beamforming, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology, and carrier aggregation. However, as the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase, there exists a need for further improvements in LTE and NR technologies. Preferably, these improvements should be applicable to other multiple access technologies and the telecommunication standards that employ these technologies. | {
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The formation of new blood vessels, whether by angiogenesis or vasculogenesis, is critical for several physiological processes including embryogenesis, organogenesis and vascular remodeling. Angiogenesis is regulated by a complex and interrelated system of pathways that involve various angiogenic and angiostatic factors (Strieter et al., Eur J Cancer 42:768-778, 2006; Dimberg, Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 341:59-80, 2010). Over- or under-expression of angiogenic or angiostatic factors results in pathologic conditions, as noted for excessive angiogenesis in tumors, or untimely termination of angiogenesis that results in unhealed chronic wounds (Balestrieri et al., Cardiovasc Res 78:250-256, 2008). Researchers have sought to better understand the signaling pathways of these angiogenesis regulators to provide new therapies to modulate these and other pathological conditions.
Recent evidence demonstrates that members of the CXC chemokine family can act as either angiogenic or angiostatic factors, depending on the presence of the ELR (Glu-Leu-Arg) motif in their amino terminus (Strieter et al., J Biol Chem 270:27348-57 1995). Among this small family of chemokines are CXC chemokines CXCL11 (IP-9/ITAC), CXCL10 (IP-10-interferon-γ-inducible 10 kDa protein), and CXCL9 (Mig); all of these lack the canonical N-terminal ELR sequence (Godessart and Kunkel, Curr Opin Immunol 6:670-675, 2001) and bind the ubiquitous CXCR3 chemokine receptor. CXCR3 has two isoforms (CXCR3-A and CXCR3-B) that regulate chemotaxis and proliferation in various cells types (Kelsen et al., Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 287:L584-591, 2004), acting as an angiostatic agent in endothelial cells (Lasagni et al., J Exp Med 197:1537-1549, 2003; Bodnar et al., Circ Res 98:617-625, 2006). All of the CXCR3-binding chemokines (CXCL4/PF4, CXCL9/Mig, CXCL10/IP-10 and CXCL11/IP-9/I-TAC) have been reported to be angiostatic and have antitumor activity via signaling through CXCR3; resulting in inhibition of VEGF and bFGF induced angiogenesis and eventual in vitro and in vivo regression of nascent vessels (Addison et al., J Immunol 165:5269-5277, 2000; Bodnar et al., Circ Res 98:617-625, 2006; Bodnar et al., J Cell Sci 122:2064-2077, 2009; Yates-Binder et al., PLoS ONE 7(7):e40812, 2012). | {
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Semiconductor integrated circuits or chips are ubiquitous in nearly every modern product. Whether used for a smart phone, a television, a washing machine, or another common or specialty product, chips are used for control, communication, networking, safety, and other functions that range anywhere from very basic to intricate and complex. Regardless of the application, the development cycle, which is the time from design to commercial availability of a product, is important for any business or government entity. In competitive areas such as consumer electronics, reducing the development cycle can make the difference between a successful product, versus a product that arrives on the market too late to be a competitive product.
Because of the intricacy of the chips used in these and other products, modeling and simulation techniques are repeatedly applied to the circuit designs throughout the design processes. The models that are generated for the designs describe the chips at various levels of design abstraction. The levels of abstraction, while arbitrary, are used to describe the circuit at varied levels of detail, from wiring lists or netlists, to logical connections, to structure, and to behavior, among many others. The levels of abstraction are used to control the complexity of the designs as the designs are modeled and simulated. In some cases, simulation can reduce or even eliminate the need for extensive prototyping of circuits. Thus simulation can reduce development time required to get a product to market, as well as reducing development costs by finding design issues earlier in the product development process.
Netlists and wiring lists provide a description of the connectivity of an electronic circuit. The netlist can include a list of terminals/pins of the electronic components in a circuit, as well as a list of the electrical connections that interconnect the terminals. The different types of circuits that can be represented by netlists include analog, digital, and mixed-signal. The mixed-signal circuits comprise both analog and digital portions that are coupled to each other.
Simulations can vary in sophistication from pure logical simulation that assumes an ideal case in terms of switching times and propagation delays, to a complex simulation that accounts for various device parameters such as gate widths, semiconductor material characteristics, ambient conditions, and the like. Hardware Description Language (HDL) is a language that can be used to describe the structure and behavior of an electronic circuit, and is particularly useful for digital logic circuits. HDL provides a temporal dimension to simulate the behavior or state of circuits as a function of time. Libraries including basic circuits, standard cells, and the like can be combined to make highly complex circuits. Simulation can be part of an Electronic Design Automation (EDA) toolchain and process. It enables designers to try various combinations of circuits without the expense of actual fabrication. At the transistor level, various parameters such as device width, voltage thresholds, and transition times can be included in the simulation. These tools enable reduced development cost and time that is essential given the competitive nature of today's electronics industry. | {
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Skin aging is commonly viewed as wrinkle formation and impaired wound healing. A wound is defined as a break in the epithelial integrity of the skin. Normal wound healing involves a complex and dynamic but superbly orchestrated series of events leading to the repair of injured tissues. The largest component of normal skin is the extracellular matrix (ECM), a gel-like matrix produced by the cells that it surrounds. The ECM is composed of two major classes including fibrous structural proteins and proteoglycans. Changes in the composition and crosslinked state of the ECM are known to be associated with aging and a range of acquired and heritable skin disorders. It has been well documented that ECM not only provides structural support, but also influences cellular behavior such as differentiation and proliferation. Also, more and more research suggests that the matrix components may be a source of cell signals to facilitate epithelial cell proliferation and migration and thus enhance wound healing.
The largest class of fibrous ECM molecules is the collagen family, which includes at least 16 different types of collagen. Collagen in the dermal matrix is composed primarily of type I (80-85%) and type III (8-11%) collagens, both of which are fibrillar, or rod-shaped, collagens. The tensile strength of skin is due predominately to these fibrillar collagen molecules, which self-assemble into microfibrils in a head-to-tail and staggered side-to-side lateral arrangement. Collagen molecules become cross-linked to adjacent collagen molecules, creating additional strength and stability in collagen fibers. Damage to the collagen network (e.g. by enzymes or physical destruction), or its total collapse causes healing to take place by repair.
Various bioactive peptides that stimulate production of ECM proteins have been reported in both the scientific literature and in issued patents. Peptides historically have been isolated from natural sources and have recently been the subject of structure-function relationship studies. Natural peptides have also served as starting points for the design of synthetic peptide analogs.
Specific sequences within ECM proteins can stimulate useful elements in skin, such as type I collagen, type III collagen, and fibronectin (Katayama et. al., J. BIOL. CHEM. 288:9941-9944 (1983). Katayama et al. identified the pentapeptide, KTTKS (SEQ ID NO:17), within the carboxy-terminal propeptide (residues 197-241) of type I collagen. The propeptide is cleaved during production of the mature collagen protein. The cleaved propeptide may participate in regulating collagen production via a biosynthesis feedback mechanism, with the KTTKS (SEQ ID NO: 17) segment playing an active role. Maquart et al. (J SOC BIOL. 193:423-28 (1999)) reported that the peptides GHK and CNYYSNS (SEQ ID NO: 47) also stimulate ECM synthesis. These sequences may be released during ECM turnover, thereby signaling the need for ECM repair. The short peptide sequences liberated by either mechanism are often called “matrikines” (Maquart et al., J. SOC. BIOL. 193:423-28 (1999)).
While a number of natural and synthetic peptides exist, there is a need for improved biologically active peptides and methods for their use. | {
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This disclosure is in the field of reboiling a process fluid such as, but not limited to, those used in a distillation process.
The reboilers like those used in distillation process are heat exchangers to partially vaporize a process stream. There are different types of heat exchangers used as reboilers and multiple configurations of how the reboilers are connected with the distillation columns. Nevertheless, these reboilers run into scaling problems when the process fluid has the tendency to form scale due to its physical and chemical nature. Scaling is forming solids from a solution. Scaling in a reboiler is forming solids from the process fluid during partial vaporization.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,652,304 B2 (“Nazzer”) discloses a method of extracting dissolved or undissolved solids from a mixture of water and a process liquid or stream. This method lets the process fluid vaporize by directly contacting the heat transfer fluid, therefore eliminating the contact of process fluid on the heat exchanger which leads to scaling. In Nazzer's patent, the mixture is introduced into a mixing zone within or upstream of a separation vessel where it is further mixed with a recycle fluid extracted from a liquid pool zone of the separator vessel and pumped through a heat exchanger.
Vaporization occurs in this mixing zone (where more than 99% of the volatile components of the feed stream are vaporized). The resulting stream is then transferred to the separator vessel in which the vapor is separated, with the solid and liquid components falling into the liquid pool zone of the separator vessel. A portion of these solids and liquids that bond to these solids then passes through a stripping zone of the separator vessel. Water residing within the stripping zone displaces the liquids bound to the solids and an aqueous waste stream with dissolved or nondissolved solids results.
Because this method requires a mixing zone for vaporization outside of the liquid pool, the required equipment is difficult to design and prone to scaling and plugging. The method also does not allow for vaporization within the liquid pool and requires the heating medium—i.e., the recycle fluid, lighter than the water in the stripping zone—to be recycled at a rate of at least ten times that of the process feed rate. This high recycle rate is required because the method must limit the temperature difference between the recycle fluid and the process stream in order to avoid thermal degradation effects.
Last, the method requires a stripping zone for solids removal. A stripping zone is prone to corrosion because of unvaporized (solids) components from the process stream. The stripping zone also presents safety concerns due to the risk of higher temperature oil contacting water. To reduce the safety concern, the oil must be cooled before it touches the water in the stripping zone, but cooling the oil increases its viscosity and ineffective solids separation results. The stripping zone does not allow for partial vaporization in situations like a reboiler due to the mixing of the unvaporized process fluid with the water in the stripping zone. | {
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The present invention relates to security apparatuses for securing portable electronic devices and, more particularly, to security apparatuses including remote actuator assemblies.
Security apparatuses are commonly used to secure laptop computers, tablet computers, and other portable electronic devices in place. Some security apparatuses are configured to engage and lock in slots formed in the portable electronic devices. These apparatuses, however, may be bulky relative to the slim industrial design of newer devices. As such, the security apparatuses may block other ports (e.g., USB ports, power ports, headphone jacks, etc.) of the portable electronic devices when connected to the devices. | {
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The present invention relates generally to the generation of arbitrary waveforms, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for synthesizing and for utilizing such waveforms.
Various types of waveforms and waveform generators are used not just in technical fields, but also in numerous industrial and commercial applications. This is particularly true in electrical and electronic technologies, and perhaps even more importantly in optical technologies such as fiber optic data transmission. The needs are so demanding that more and more highly versatile mathematical techniques are required for generating a seemingly limitless variety of waveforms, and to handle the demands of technologies, such as communication and measurement, that are constantly increasing in speed.
Waveforms can be represented by mathematical functions, and ideally, the waveforms can then be realized or created by combining or superimposing certain groups of single-frequency components ranging from a frequency of zero to a frequency that is nearly infinite. In actuality, however, there are upper limits to the frequencies that can be utilized in real-world systems because of frequency response limitations in the equipment and the transmission lines. This means, as a practical matter, that frequency components at extremely high frequencies may not be available. Such upper frequency limitations then degrade the precision with which waveform generators can actually create the desired waveforms.
In theory, an ideal system could accurately generate virtually any waveform (an xe2x80x9carbitraryxe2x80x9d waveform) and could specify the mathematical function that defines the desired xe2x80x9carbitraryxe2x80x9d waveform. A simple example of such arbitrary function waveform generation shows, however, how difficult this can be in practice. xe2x80x9cSawtoothxe2x80x9d waves are very common, uncomplicated waveforms that are needed and are very useful in all sorts of electronic applications. Yet sawtooth waveforms are surprisingly difficult to generate, particularly at higher frequencies, such as used in cell phones, satellite communications, wireless internet access, and so forth.
The difficulty with sawtooth waveforms is caused by the sharp (xe2x80x9cpoint-likexe2x80x9d) transitions between the increasing and decreasing sides of the waveform. To keep these transitions sharp, very high-frequency capabilities are required. Otherwise, the transitions become xe2x80x9cbluntedxe2x80x9d. Since most electronic and optical equipment is xe2x80x9cband-limitedxe2x80x9d (i.e., cannot carry frequencies in the highest frequency bands), it is difficult in real-world systems to accurately propagate even a simple sawtooth voltage waveform. Similar considerations actually make it difficult even to accurately generate or create such a waveform in the first place (at higher frequencies). As can be appreciated, similar problems are presented with other waveforms that are more complicated.
The prior art presents many analytical approaches and proposes a number of solutions for these problems. Techniques are available for generating desired waveforms within a limited frequency bandwidth utilizing band-limited mathematical functions. However, generating such mathematical functions is not easy, both in the case of analog generation and at high frequencies. Accordingly, there continues to be a need for simpler, less complicated methods for generating function waveforms. Furthermore, in cases where distortion of the waveform occurs in a band-limited propagation medium, it is desirable to be able to correct this distortion.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art.
The present invention provides a method for synthesizing an arbitrary waveform that approximates a specific waveform. Respective frequencies of component waveforms to be used to generate the arbitrary waveform are specified, the frequencies being less than the maximum frequency needed to synthesize the specific waveform. A least squares optimization of respective amplitudes and phases of the component waveforms is performed across at least one predetermined time interval. The component waveforms having the amplitudes and phases optimized by the least squares optimization are then summed to produce the arbitrary waveform. This method provides a simpler, more cost-effective means of generating an ideal waveform approximation at high frequencies.
Certain embodiments of the invention have other advantages in addition to or in place of those mentioned above. The advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description when taken with reference to the accompanying drawings. | {
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It is known to continuously supply to a roll hub or core flat products of the most varied types and to roll or wind same onto said hub or core (cf. e.g. German patent 2 207 556, Swiss patent application 1 788/86-0). Particularly in printing technology, the printed products are preferably in stream formation and are supplied to the winding station in this way and are wound up to form rolls. If the number of products to be processed in this way is greater than the capacity of a roll, as soon as the latter is full, measures must be taken in order to be able to wind the continuously arriving products onto another empty roll hub. In the simplest, but uneconomic manner, it would e.g. be possible to interrupt the working process and during said interruption to replace the full roll by an empty roll hub.
In addition, Swiss patents 654 553 and 654 554 disclose a process and an apparatus making it possible in the case of only a single winding station with an additional intermediate roll to replace the main roll of the winding station without interrupting the working process. However, the products must be wound in double layer form and for further processing must be subdivided by a special means back into two separate scale or stream flows. If a roll is to be further processed in another working area, such additional means must be provided there for unwinding the double roll. As a function of the intermediate roll capacity and as a result of the double layer form of the wound products on the main roll, in this process it is necessary to replace the roll at relatively short intervals.
DE-OS 33 04 219 discloses an apparatus for stacking printed sheets. The printed sheets supplied by means of a feed conveyor are transferred to a conveyor belt of the apparatus. It is obvious that during this transfer the phase relationship of the printed sheets, i.e. the information concerning the reciprocal overlap or displacement of the printed products, is lost and the sheets are necessarily differently arranged due to the feed taking place at right angles to the conveyor belt. Thus, said apparatus can only be used if there is a subsequent intermediate stacking of the printed products and no significance is attached to the modified phase relationship during further processing. However, in many uses it is desirable or necessary to retain the phase relationship of the printed products throughout all the working stages and also during intermediate storage. Therefore, without additional complicated and expensive measures, said apparatus cannot be used for such purposes. In addition, with said apparatus it is not possible to freely select the reciprocal positioning of the printed sheets on the discharge conveyor. A further disadvantage is that it is not possible, or is only possible with considerable effort and expenditure, to replace the individual rolls or storage rolls because they are juxtaposed in parallel, access to the individual rolls is substantially impossible and consequently the apparatus can only be used to a limited extent as an off-line buffer store.
It is known from DE-OS 25 44 135 to provide two alternately loadable winding stations, in which articles are in each case supplied to one, while the full roll is removed from the other winding station. However, this solution in this form can only be used to a limited extent within an overall process, because the rolls must be supplied to another installation for further processing either manually, or at the best by using handling equipment, i.e. the apparatus constitutes a "dead-end" within a continuous process. Additional stations must be provided for unwinding purposes. Moreover, the right-angled path of the conveyor belts at the transfer locations leads to problems as in the case of DE-OS 33 04 219, because the relative arrangement of the products is necessarily and undesirably modified.
In many applications, e.g. in the printing field, the products for different processing operations occur in a specific arrangement. Thus, newspapers on conveyors are conveyed with the cording first whereas journals and magazines are conveyed with the head or bloom first. Obviously the reciprocal arrangement of the products can vary with regards to a number of other parameters (phase relationship, overshot/undershot conveying, spatial position, etc.). In order to be able to process products with different parameters in a following, standardized process or special machines, it is consequently necessary to convert or standardize these parameters associated with the products. Apparatuses are generally known which, by means of rewinding, convert printed products wound in undershot manner on to a roll and which in the case of mere unwinding would be obtained in overshot manner, into an undershot product flow again. The hitherto known apparatuses of this type have always been specifically intended for given uses and consequently only permit a limited conversion of such parameters. These apparatuses also provide no possibility for the buffer storage of products. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a display apparatus for a vehicle audio system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 5A is a front view of an LED display panel of a prior art audio apparatus and FIG. 5B is a side view of the prior art audio apparatus shown in FIG. 5A. In FIG. 5A, the LED display 1 displays a channel, a receiving band, a receiving frequency, and functions such as repeating with LED segment display elements. Under the LED display panel 1, another LED display panel 2 is arranged which displays a kind of music such as jazz, rock, or pop and an equalizing characteristic using straight and curved bars.
FIG. 6A is a front view of an LED display panel of another prior art audio apparatus and FIG. 6B is a side view of another prior art audio apparatus shown in FIG. 6A. In FIG. 6A, an LED display panel 3 of another prior art audio apparatus has a radio frequency display region 3a and an equalizer display region 3b on a single display board 3.
The LED display panel shown in FIG. 5A requires two display panels 1 and 2 and the displaying area is large. On the other hand, the LED display panel shown in FIG. 6A has wide display panel 3.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a superior display apparatus for a vehicle audio system.
According to the present invention there is provided a display apparatus for a vehicle including: a display panel including a plurality of alphanumeric segment display elements; and a display control circuit for controlling a plurality of said alphanumeric segment display elements in accordance with either of frequency data from an audio unit mounted on said vehicle to display digits of said frequency data or equalizing characteristic data supplied from said audio unit to display a spectrum distribution over a plurality of said alphanumeric segment display elements.
In the display apparatus, the display panel may include at least first to third of the alphanumeric segment display elements and the display control circuit operates the first alphanumeric segment display element to display a low frequency range level of the spectrum distribution, the second alphanumeric segment display element to display an intermediate frequency range level of the spectrum distribution, and the third alphanumeric segment display element to display a high frequency range level of the spectrum distribution.
In the display apparatus, the display panel may further include a kind display unit adjacent to a plurality of the alphanumeric segment display elements, the equalizing characteristic data further representing a kind of a music to be reproduced by the audio unit, and the display control circuit operates the kind display unit to display the kind in accordance with the equalizing characteristic data.
In the display apparatus, the display panel may further include a function display unit and the display control circuit operates the function display unit to display a function to be executed by the audio unit in accordance with function data from the audio unit. | {
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This invention relates to a method enabling the immunoassay of a single protein species in a family of proteins or of proteinic complexes having a common antigen determinant but of different sizes.
The method according to the invention enables the successive performance, in a single operation using a novel electrophoretic system of a separation of the proteins according to their size in a controlled cross-linked medium, and an assay by electroimmunodiffusion according to the method of Laurell, C. B. Anal. Biochem. 15 45-52 (1966). The controlled cross-linked medium in which prior electrophoretic migration is carried out enables the blocking of the proteins of size greater than that of the protein to be assayed, so that these proteins cannot interfere in the subsequent assay by electroimmunodiffusion.
It is a particular object of the invention to provide a method of assay of apolipoprotein B (denoted below apo-B) occurring in low density lipoproteins (denoted below LDL) in the serum.
The apolipoprotein-B (apo B) is a constituent protein of different serum lipoprotein complexes: the very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), the intermediate density lipoproteins (IDL) and the low density lipoproteins (LDL). The sizes, chemical compositions, structures and physiopathological roles of these complexes are very different.
Goldstein J. L. and Brown M. S., Ann. Rev. Biochem. 46 897-930 (1977) have shown that apo B of LDL regulates the cell metabolism of the seric lipoproteins and have suggested that it would play a key role in the occurence of the atherosclerotic process. Recent clinical studies (Sniderman A, et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77 604-608 (1980) have confirmed these experimental data by showing the discriminating character of the serum concentration of apo B of the LDLs in the diagnosis and the prognosis of coronopathies.
It is to be noted in addition that the LDLs form a heterogeneous molecular family in which it is possible to individualize several fractions (Krauss R. M. and Burke D. J. J. Lipid. Res. 23 97-104 (1982)) and particularly the lipoprotein lpa of particular constitution and of which the responsibility in the early development of atherosclerosis has been suspected (Kostner G. M. et al. Atherosclerosis 38 51-61 (1981)).
The assay methods of apo B at present proposed all determine the total serum apo B without differentiating the apo B according to its origin and hence its physiological significance. Determination of apo B of different lipoprotein fractions has indeed been proposed by Sniderman et al. (cited above), but it involves the separation of the lipoproteins by preparative ultracentrifugation, a long, expensive and not really quantitative method. | {
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The invention relates to a metal-cutting tool and, in particular a rotary cutting tool and a method of making the same. In one aspect, the rotary cutting tool can be, for example, a reaming tool.
Reamers typically are used for the finishing of boreholes. In this context, highly accurate roundness and straightness, as well as a high surface quality of the inner wall of the bore, are of material importance. In the case of a plurality of simultaneously machined boreholes, a precise coaxiality of a plurality of boreholes is additionally of importance. A typical application is the inner surfaces of bearing components, for example in engines.
In order to obtain the best possible drilling results (roundness, straightness etc.), in reaming tools of this type, which often have only a single reaming cutter, guide elements, usually in the form of bars, are attached to the periphery of a tool main body. The radially outermost points of the guide elements lie at a same radial distance to the center axis and, upon an imaginary rotation about the center axis, define a guide circle. Correspondingly, the cutter, upon rotation about the center axis, defines a cutting circle. The diameter of the guide circle is here consistently smaller than the diameter of the cutting circle.
In the machining operation, the tool is deflected due to the generated metal-cutting forces until the guide elements come to bear against the inner wall of the bore. During such operation of the reaming tool, heat is generated at the interface between the cutting insert and the location where material is being removed from a workpiece (i.e., the insert-workpiece interface) and at the interface between the guide elements and the inner wall of the bore (i.e., the guide element-bore interface). It is well-known that excessive heat at the insert-workpiece interface and the guide element-bore interface can negatively impact upon the useful tool life of the cutting tool and its various components. As can be appreciated, a shorter useful tool life increases operating costs and decreases overall production efficiency. Hence, there are readily apparent advantages connected with decreasing the heat at the insert-workpiece interface and at the guide element-bore interface. Thus, it is known to provide a coolant material to these insert-areas to decrease the heat and increase the useful tool life.
However, it will be appreciated that most known systems for providing a coolant material to the insert-workpiece interface and/or to the guide element-bore interface are difficult and/or expensive to manufacture while still maintaining the overall integrity of the cutting tool components and while also being able to efficiently deliver and direct the coolant material to the desired areas. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved metal-cutting tool and, in particular a rotary cutting tool such as, for example, a reaming tool that overcomes limitations, shortcomings and/or disadvantages of known such tools. | {
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This invention relates, in general, to remotely controlled valves of the type which may be employed in hydraulic control systems and, in particular, this invention relates to a shut-off valve used to control high-pressure hydraulic fluid.
A shut-off valve may be employed in a hydraulic control system for selectively blocking the flow of hydraulic fluid through the system in one mode of operation and for passing the flow of hydraulic fluid in a second mode of operation. Hence, the shut-off valve is basically a hydraulic on-off switch. For example, in combination with a large steam turbine, a steam inlet valve controls the steam inflow into the turbine. The steam inlet valve may be hydraulically positioned against a valve closing spring by means of a hydraulic cylinder which receives an input of hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic manifold which includes a servo-valve which controls the flow of hydraulic fluid to the cylinder. The input flow to the hydraulic manifold is controlled by a shut-off valve. If the shut-off valve fails in an open position, the hydraulic fluid would be uselessly pumped to drain. If the shut-off valve fails in a closed position, the steam inlet valve cannot be hydraulically controlled. This foregoing example is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,495,501 to Kure-Jensen issued Feb. 17, 1970. In that patent, a shut-off valve 5 controls the inflow of pressurized fluid to servo-valve 6 which, in turn, controls the fluid supply for positioning a steam valve 1. The shut-off valve, itself, is hydraulically and remotely positioned by a trip valve 13.
Prior art valves used in the aforementioned environment have been known to malfunction due to jamming, rusting, plugging and leaking. In the prior art, a spool type of valve has been employed wherein jamming could occur if contaminates become wedged between the spool and the housing bore. One source of contamination could be rusting especially when water and moisture has found its way into the pressurized hydraulic fluid. Leakage is objectionable in a shut-off valve for obvious reasons and also because it requires an increased pump capacity to maintain the desired hydraulic pressure and hence presents an increase in turbine losses and a decrease in turbine efficiency. Rusting can also cause plugging of hydraulic lines by dispersing rust contaminates throughout the hydraulic system.
The present invention improves the prior art shut-off valves in the following manner. A valve housing includes an inlet port and an outlt port with a valve seat therebetween. The valve seat is part of an axial bore formed through the valve housing. A valve member is slidable within the axial bore and includes a hemispherical poppet which is self-aligning with respect to the valve seat. The valve member also includes a spool at each end which defines a diametrical clearance between the spool circumference and the bore circumference. Each spool also includes a slide means which bears against the interior of the axial bore so that the valve member floats within the axial bore, and the slide means in combination with the spool clearance can wipe contaminates from the bore surface. The foregoing arrangement increases the efficiency of the hemispherical poppet and seat seal, while also obviating any tendency of the valve member to jam or stick. Moreover, because of the inherent simplicity of construction the valve may be formed from a stainless steel material to obviate rusting without any additional internal sleeving and surface treatments.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide an improved shut-off valve wherein the potential for jamming is greatly reduced.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a shut-off valve wherein the sealing arrangement between the inlet and outlet ports is improved.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in connection with the appended drawing. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel substituted benzofurans and benzothiophenes that are antagonists of alpha V (αv) integrins, for example αvβ3 and αvβ5 integrins, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof.
2. Background Art
Integrins are cell surface glycoprotein receptors which bind extracellular matrix proteins and mediate cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions (generally referred to as cell adhesion events) (Hynes, R. O., Cell 69:11-25 (1992)). These receptors are composed of noncovalently associated alpha (α) and beta (β) chains which combine to give a variety of heterodimeric proteins with distinct cellular and adhesive specificities (Albeda, S. M., Lab. Invest. 68:4-14 (1993)). Recent studies have implicated integrins in the regulation of cellular adhesion, migration, invasion, proliferation, apoptosis and gene expression (Albeda, S. M., Lab. Invest. 68:4-14 (1993); Juliano, R., Cancer Met. Rev. 13:25-30 (1994); Ruoslahti, E. and Reed, J. C., Cell 77:477-478 (1994); and Ruoslahti, E. and Giancotti, F. G., Cancer Cells 1:119-126 (1989)).
One member of the integrin family which has been shown to play a significant role in a number of pathological conditions is the integrin αvβ3, or vitronectin receptor (Brooks, P. C., DN&P 10(8):456-461 (1997)). This integrin binds a variety of extracellular matrix components and other ligands, including fibrin, fibrinogen, fibronectin, vitronectin, laminin, thrombospondin, and proteolyzed or denatured collagen (Cheresh, D. A., Cancer Met. Rev. 10:3-10 (1991) and Shattil, S. J., Thromb. Haemost. 74:149-155 (1995)). The two related αv integrins, αvβ5 and αvβ1 (also vitronectin receptors), are more specific and bind vitronectin (αvβ5) or fibronectin and vitronectin (αvβ1) (Horton, M., Int. J. Exp. Pathol. 71:741-759 (1990)). αvβ3 and the other integrins recognize and bind to their ligands through the tripeptide sequence Arg-Gly-Asp (“RGD”) (Cheresh, D. A., Cancer Met. Rev. 10:3-10 (1991) and Shattil, S. J., Thromb. Haemost. 74:149-155 (1995)) found within all the ligands mentioned above.
The αvβ3 integrin has been implicated in a number of pathological processes and conditions, including metastasis and tumor growth, pathological angiogenesis, and restenosis. For example, several studies have clearly implicated αvβ3 in the metastatic cascade (Cheresh, D. A., Cancer Met. Rev. 10:3-10 (1991); Nip, J. et al., J. Clin. Invest. 95:2096-2103 (1995); and Yun, Z., et al., Cancer Res. 56:3101-3111 (1996)). Vertically invasive lesions in melanomas are also commonly associated with high levels of αvβ3, whereas horizontally growing noninvasive lesions have little if any αvβ3 (Albeda, S. M., et al., Cancer Res. 50:6757-6764 (1990)). Moreover, Brooks et al. (in Cell 79:1157-1164 (1994)) have demonstrated that systemic administration of αvβ3 antagonists disrupts ongoing angiogenesis on chick chorioallantoic membrane (“CAM”), leading to the rapid regression of histologically distinct human tumors transplanted onto the CAM. These results indicate that antagonists of αvβ3 may provide a therapeutic approach for the treatment of neoplasia (solid tumor growth).
αvβ3 has also been implicated in angiogenesis, which is the development of new vessels from preexisting vessels, a process that plays a significant role in a variety of normal and pathological biological events. It has been demonstrated that αvβ3 is up-regulated in actively proliferating blood vessels undergoing angiogenesis during wound healing as well as in solid tumor growth. Also, antagonists of αvβ3 have been shown to significantly inhibit angiogenesis induced by cytokines and solid tumor fragments (Brooks, P. C., et al., Science 264:569-571 (1994); Enenstein, J. and Kramer, R. H., J. Invest. Dermatol. 103:381-386 (1994); Gladson, C. L., J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol 55:1143-1149 (1996); Okada, Y., et al., Amer. J. Pathol. 149:37-44 (1996); and Brooks, P. C., et al., J. Clin. Invest. 96:1815-1822 (1995)). Such αvβ3 antagonists would be useful for treating conditions that are associated with pathological angiogenesis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and psoriasis (Nicosia, R. F. and Madri, J. A., Amer. J. Pathol. 128:78-90 (1987); Boudreau, N. and Rabinovitch, M., Lab. Invest. 64:187-99 (1991); and Brooks, P. C., Cancer Met. Rev. 15:187-194 (1996)).
There is also evidence that αvβ3 plays a role in neointimal hyperplasia after angioplasty and restenosis. For example, peptide antagonists and monoclonal antibodies directed to both αvβ3 and the platelet receptor αIIbβ3 have been shown to inhibit neointimal hyperplasia in vivo (Choi, E. T., et al., J. Vasc. Surg. 19:125-134 (1994); and Topol, E. J., et al., Lancet 343:881-886 (1994)), and recent clinical trials with a monoclonal antibody directed to both αIIbβ3 and αvβ3 have resulted in significant reduction in restenosis, providing clinical evidence of the therapeutic utility of β3 antagonists (Topol, E. J., et al., Lancet 343:881-886 (1994)).
It has also been reported that αvβ3 is the major integrin on osteoclasts responsible for attachment to bone. Osteoclasts cause bone resorption. When bone resorbing activity exceeds bone forming activity, the result is osteoporosis, a condition which leads to an increased number of bone fractures, incapacitation and increased mortality. Antagonists of αvβ3 have been shown to be potent antagonists of osteoclastic activity both in vitro (Sato, M., et al., J. Cell Biol. 111:1713-1723 (1990)) and in vivo (Fisher, J. E., et al., Endocrinology 132:1411-1413 (1993)).
Lastly, White (in Current Biology 3(9):596-599 (1993)) has reported that adenovirus uses αvβ3 for entering host cells. The αvβ3 integrin appears to be required for endocytosis of the virus particle and may be required for penetration of the viral genome into the host cell cytoplasm. Thus, compounds which inhibit αvβ3 could be useful as antiviral agents.
The αvβ5 integrin has been implicated in pathological processes as well. Friedlander et al. have demonstrated that a monoclonal antibody for αvβ5 can inhibit VEGF-induced angiogenesis in rabbit cornea and chick chorioalloantoic membrane, indicating that the αvβ5 integrin plays a role in mediating growth factor-induced angiogenesis (Friedlander, M. C., et al., Science 270:1500-1502 (1995)). Compounds that act as αvβ5 antagonists could be used to inhibit pathological angiogenesis in tissues of the body, including ocular tissue undergoing neovascularization, inflamed tissue, solid tumors, metastases, or tissues undergoing restenosis.
Discovery of the involvement of αvβ3 and αvβ5 in such processes and pathological conditions has led to an interest in these integrins as potential therapeutic targets, as suggested above. A number of specific antagonists of αvβ3 and αvβ5 that can block the activity of these integrins have been developed. One major group of such antagonists includes nonpeptide mimetics and organic-type compounds. For example, a number of organic non-peptidic mimetics have been developed that appear to inhibit tumor cell adhesion to a number of αvβ3 ligands, including vitronectin, fibronectin, and fibrinogen (Greenspoon, N., et al., Biochemistry 32:1001-1008 (1993); Ku, T. W., et al., J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 115:8861-8862 (1993); Hershkoviz, R., et al., Clin. Exp. Immunol. 95:270-276 (1994); and Hardan, L., et al., Int. J. Cancer 55:1023-1028 (1993)).
Additional organic compounds developed specifically as αvβ3 or αvβ5 integrin antagonists or as compounds useful in the treatment of αv-mediated conditions have been described in several recent publications.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,796, issued Apr. 21, 1998, discloses pyridyl and naphthyridyl compounds for inhibiting osteoclast-mediated bone resorption.
PCT Published Application WO 97/45137, published Oct. 9, 1997, discloses non-peptide sulfotyrosine derivatives, as well as cyclopeptides, fusion proteins, and monoclonal antibodies, that are useful as antagonists of αvβ3 integrin-mediated angiogenesis.
PCT Published Application WO 97/36859, published Oct. 9, 1997, discloses para-substituted phenylpropanoic acid derivatives. The publication also discloses the use of the compounds as αvβ3 integrin antagonists.
PCT Published Application WO 97/06791, published February 1997, discloses methods for inhibition of angiogenesis in tissue using vitronectin αvβ5 antagonists.
More recently, PCT Published Application WO 97/23451, published Jul. 3, 1997, discloses tyrosine derivatives that are αv-integrin antagonists (especially αvβ3 antagonists) useful in the treatment of tumors, osteoporoses, and osteolytic disorders and for suppressing angiogenesis.
PCT Published Application WO 98/00395, published Jan. 8, 1998, discloses novel tyrosine and phenylalanine derivatives as αv integrin and GPIIb/IIIa antagonists.
The publication discloses the use of the compounds in pharmaceutical preparations for the treatment of thrombosis, infarction, coronary heart disease, tumors, arteriosclerosis, infection and inflammation.
PCT Published Application WO 99/30713, published Jun. 24, 1999, discloses carboxylic acid derivatives having a cyclic core structure. The derivatives are described as integrin antagonists useful for inhibiting bone resorption, treating and preventing osteoporosis, and inhibiting vascular restenosis, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, angiogenesis, atherosclerosis, inflammation, wound healing, viral disease, tumor growth, and metastasis.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,648, issued May 23, 2000, discloses carboxylic acid derivatives of compounds having a 5-membered aromatic or nonaromatic mono- or bicyclic ring system having one heteroatom. The compounds are described as antagonists of the vitronectin receptors and are useful for inhibiting bone resorption, treating and preventing osteoporosis, and inhibiting vascular restenosis, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, angiogenesis, atherosclerosis, inflammation, viral disease, and tumor growth.
PCT Published Application WO 2000/02874, published Jan. 20, 2000, discloses benzofuran derivatives that are integrin antagonists useful in the treatment of a variety of integrin-mediated disease states.
A need continues to exist for non-peptide compounds that are potent and selective integrin antagonists, and which possess greater bioavailability or fewer side-effects than currently available integrin antagonists. | {
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This invention relates to the field of radiation-curable gels useful for cosmetic adornment of natural nails. More particularly this invention relates to methods and compositions for removing radiation cured nail gels.
The use of radiation-curable gels in formation of nail enhancements or artificial nails has been an important part of the cosmetic industry since it was first introduced. U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,612, describing the use of actinic radiation-curable compositions suitable for preparation of artificial nails, is representative of this technology.
Ultra-violet radiation (UV) is the most conventional form of radiation used to cure gels in this art, however, visible light curing systems are also known. Professional nail technicians most typically apply UV curable gels designed for sculpting nails. Such UV-curable gels are usually composed of acrylic or methacrylic monomers and oligomers in a gel-like state that requires curing under a UV lamp. Such nail finishes can be applied directly to natural fingernails or toenails, or alternatively can be applied to nail extensions bonded to fingernails. In many cases, the artificial nails are coated with conventional nail polish after they are cured.
In addition, a considerable advantage of the use of the UV nail gel for the customer and the person performing the application is the reduced time needed to harden. A customer can spend up to an hour waiting for the solvent in nail enamel to evaporate, while the gel is set in 3 minutes or less. Diadvantageously, due to the crosslinked polymer which is formed while curing these gels they are much more difficult to remove than normal nail polishes. Thus, there is a need for compositions that give improved soak off capabilities.
This object, and others which will become apparent from the following disclosure are achieved by the present invention which comprises in one aspect a composition comprising acetone and a derivatized lanolin, namely alkoxylated lanolin oil.
In another aspect the invention comprises a method comprising applying the composition of the invention to radiation cured nail gel, allowing the composition to soak for a period of time, and then removing the cured nail gel.
In some embodiments the lanolin oil is ethoxylated and propoxylated. The invention also comprises including about 2 to 3% by weight of the alkoxylated lanolin oil in the composition, the balance being primarily acetone and optionally other solvents known in the art, emollients, and dyes. | {
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1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a pixel structure, a method of manufacturing a pixel structure, and an active device matrix substrate. More particularly, the invention relates to a pixel structure that has favorable storage capacitors and is capable of displaying images with high quality, a method of manufacturing the pixel structure, and an active device matrix substrate with the pixel structure.
2. Description of Related Art
Among the displays, liquid crystal display (LCD) has become the mainstream display. With the development of the LCD panels and the increasing requirements of the LCD panels for fast response speed, wide viewing angle, color shift prevention, etc., the LCDs may be in various display modes, e.g., multi-vertical alignment liquid crystal displays (MVA-LCD) capable of performing wide-viewing-angle display functions, in-plane switch liquid crystal displays (IPS-LCD), and so forth.
In the conventional IPS-LCD, a substantially lateral electric field generated by the coplanar pixel electrode and common electrode reorients (tilts) liquid crystal molecules, which determines whether light is allowed to pass through the LCD or not. Since the storage capacitor in a pixel structure of the conventional IPS-LCD is overlay small, flickers are likely to occur in the display image of the IPS-LCD. When the flickering issue becomes worse, image retention and cross talk may easily happen.
If, to better resolve the flickering issue, by increasing the amount of the storage capacitor in the pixel structure, the common electrode occupies the area of the pixel structure, which may however reduce the aperture ratio of the pixel structure and further deteriorate light utilization efficiency. Hence, the large storage capacitor and the high aperture ratio have been a trade-off issue for a long time, and thus it is necessary to develop a pixel structure that may have the large storage capacitor and the high aperture ratio. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates generally to rotary systems, and more specifically, to a tail rotary system having spherical lined bearings.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional tail rotors are well known in the art for effectively controlling yaw movement of a rotary aircraft. The tail rotor utilizes a plurality of rotor blades for creating thrust, and during flight, the rotor blades tend to feather, thereby creating an undesired movement that could cause the tail rotor to fail.
In some embodiments, conventional tail rotary systems include rotor blades that rigidly attach to the yoke arms. These embodiments are effective in restricting rotor blade feathering movement; however, the embodiments are prone to failure due to the blade feathering stresses exerted on the yoke arm.
Although great strides have been made in the field of tail rotary systems, many shortcomings remain.
While the system and method of the present application are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the process of the present application as defined by the appended claims. | {
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The discussion of the background art, any reference to a document and any reference to information that is known, which is contained in this specification, is provided only for the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the background art to the present invention, and is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of that material forms part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application in relation to which this specification was filed.
Following an ostomy procedure, it is commonplace that an ostomy bag is used to collect the intestinal waste that exits from the stoma. The opening of the ostomy bag is attached directly to the skin, of the person, around the stoma. The bag is attached to the skin with adhesive. The person must empty and replace the bag as necessary. The frequency of replacement of the bag varies, though is often between once and several times a day.
Replacement of the bag requires that first the adhesive attachment to the skin is broken and the existing bag removed. The existing bag and its contents must be disposed of appropriately. The person must clean the stoma and the skin around the stoma. This is very important to reduce the risk of serious problems arising, including infection and necrosis of the stoma. There are various preparations that the person must constantly use to maintain the site of the stoma clean. As intestinal waste passes out through the stoma, it comes into direct contact with the stoma. Thus, the person must follow the cleaning regimen each time a bag is removed and replaced with a new one, which may be required several times a day. Once the site of the stoma has been cleaned, the person attaches a new bag to the skin around the stoma using adhesive.
In addition, to the problems that can arise if the stoma is not maintained clean, the constant application of adhesive to skin around the stoma, to attach the bag, leads to skin irritation, skin rashes and pealing skin.
Furthermore, the person is constantly confronted with the unpleasant odour that is attendant to having a stoma for discharge of intestinal waste.
People who must live with having a stoma and using an ostomy bag can suffer tremendous hardship. Some of the problems and inconvenience of dealing with their condition have been hereinbefore described. In addition, they often suffer deterioration in their personal, family, social and employment relationships. This can lead to other problems and conditions, including loss of self-esteem, a sense of isolation, depression and suicide. | {
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Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various telecommunication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, and broadcasts. Typical wireless communication systems may employ multiple-access technologies capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power). Examples of such multiple-access technologies include Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems, and time division synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA) systems.
In some examples, a wireless multiple-access communication system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, otherwise known as user equipment (UEs). In LTE or LTE-A network, a set of one or more base stations may define an eNodeB (eNB). In other examples (e.g., in a next generation or 5G network), a wireless multiple access communication system may include a number of distributed units (DUs) (e.g., edge units (EUs), edge nodes (ENs), radio heads (RHs), smart radio heads (SRHs), transmission reception points (TRPs), etc.) in communication with a number of central units (CUs) (e.g., central nodes (CNs), access node controllers (ANCs), etc.), where a set of one or more distributed units, in communication with a central unit, may define an access node (e.g., a new radio base station (NR BS), a new radio node-B (NR NB), a network node, 5G NB, gNB, etc.). A base station or DU may communicate with a set of UEs on downlink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a base station or to a UE) and uplink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a UE to a base station or distributed unit).
These multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunication standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless devices to communicate on a municipal, national, regional, and even global level. An example of an emerging telecommunication standard is new radio (NR), for example, 5G radio access. NR is a set of enhancements to the LTE mobile standard promulgated by Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). It is designed to better support mobile broadband Internet access by improving spectral efficiency, lowering costs, improving services, making use of new spectrum, and better integrating with other open standards using OFDMA with a cyclic prefix (CP) on the downlink (DL) and on the uplink (UL) as well as support beamforming, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology, and carrier aggregation.
However, as the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase, there exists a need for further improvements in NR technology. Preferably, these improvements should be applicable to other multi-access technologies and the telecommunication standards that employ these technologies. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
An embodiment of the invention disclosed herein relates to a semiconductor device using a semiconductor element and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Storage devices using semiconductor elements are broadly classified into two kinds of devices: a volatile device that loses stored data when power is not supplied, and a non-volatile device that holds stored data even when power is not supplied.
A typical example of a volatile storage device is a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). A DRAM stores data in such a manner that a transistor included in a storage element is selected and charge is stored in a capacitor.
When data is read from a DRAM, charge in a capacitor is lost from the above-described principle; thus, another writing operation is necessary whenever data is read. Moreover, a transistor included in a storage element has a leakage current (off-state current) between a source and a drain in an off state or the like and charge flows into or out of a capacitor even if the transistor is not selected, whereby a data holding period is short. For that reason, another writing operation (refresh operation) is necessary at predetermined intervals, and it is difficult to sufficiently reduce power consumption. Furthermore, since stored data is lost when power is not supplied, an additional storage device using a magnetic material or an optical material is needed in order to hold data for a long time.
Another example of a volatile storage device is a static random access memory (SRAM). An SRAM holds stored data by using a circuit such as a flip-flop and thus does not need refresh operation. This means that an SRAM has an advantage over a DRAM. However, cost per storage capacity is increased because a circuit such as a flip-flop is used. Moreover, as in a DRAM, stored data in an SRAM is lost when power is not supplied.
A typical example of a non-volatile storage device is a flash memory. A flash memory includes a floating gate between a gate electrode and a channel formation region in a transistor and stores data by holding charge in the floating gate. Therefore, a flash memory has advantages in that a data holding period is extremely long (almost permanent) and refresh operation which is necessary in a volatile storage device is not needed (e.g., see Patent Document 1).
However, a gate insulating layer included in a storage element deteriorates by tunneling current generated in writing, so that the storage element stops its function after a certain number of writings. In order to reduce adverse effects of this problem, a method in which the number of writing operations for storage elements is equalized is employed, for example. However, a complicated peripheral circuit is needed to realize this method. Moreover, employing such a method does not solve the fundamental problem of lifetime. That is, a flash memory is not suitable for applications in which data is frequently rewritten.
In addition, high voltage is necessary for injection of charge into a floating gate or removal of the charge, and a circuit for generating high voltage is also necessary. Further, it takes a relatively long time to inject or remove charge, and it is not easy to increase the speed of writing or erasing data. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light polarization control element using an stress-optical coefficient glass and a method for producing the stress-optical coefficient glass used for the light polarization control element.
2. Description of the Related Art
A low stress-optical coefficient glass is applied to, for example, a light polarization control element or the like. Such an element is exemplified by an optical element (optical parts) such as a substrate and prism body constituting a polarizing beam splitter or a space light modulating element for conducting a polarized light modulation.
In the low stress-optical coefficient glass, it is a necessary requirement that a birefringence, which is caused when an external mechanical force or thermal action is applied thereto, should be small. In other words, an stress-optical coefficient thereof should be low. Further it needs to satisfy the following requirements: it should have a predetermined refractive index and a low liquid phase temperature; it should be manufactured easily enough to be mass-produced; it should have a certain transmittance corresponding to a predetermined wavelength; and it should not cause any environmental pollution. As for the refractive index, the transmittance and the like among these requirements, the desired characteristics are varied according to their actual uses. For example, with respect to a polarizing beam splitter in a liquid crystal projector, it is preferable that the stress-optical coefficient falls into the range of +0.8.times.10.sup.-12 Pa to -0.3.times.10.sup.-12 Pa, and the refractive index is within 1.57 to 1.73.
In the liquid crystal projector, a birefringence (an stress-optical coefficient) becomes a problem for the following reasons.
In the case of a transmitter type liquid crystal projector, the reasons are as follows;
The number of pixels in a liquid crystal tends to increase in order to comply with the tendency for a finer image and to match up the number of pixels of a personal computer. Specifically each type of the VGA, SVGA and XGA uses 640.times.480 pixels, 800.times.600 pixels and 1024.times.768 pixels, respectively, with the XGA type now occupying the mainstream position among them. Such a trend to a larger number of pixels is expected to proceed further, and the SXGA (1080.times.1024 pixels) is expected to appear in the near future. PA1 A single pixel consists significantly of an opening portion for transmitting a light beam therethrough and a transistor portion for driving the pixel, wherein the transistor portion does not allow any light beams to pass therethrough. The larger the number of pixels in a liquid crystal becomes, the smaller the area of a single pixel. However, there is a limit in decreasing the size of a transistor existing in the single pixel. Further, as the number of pixels is increased, there is increased the ratio of the area occupied by the transistor portion where light beams are not transmitted (referring to FIG. 1(a)-1(c)). Consequently, the ratio (an opening ratio) of light beams transmitted through the liquid decreases, and hence one is forced to use a means (such as a high output power) to radiate a stronger beam than that of a lamp in order to prevent the brightness in the liquid crystal from decreasing. As a result, there appears a thermal distribution in the PBS prism polarizing the P-wave and S-wave of the light beam, and thereby a thermal stress affects the inside of the glass. PA1 FIG. 2 is a simplified structural view of the reflector type liquid crystal projector. Under its reflecting surface, the reflector type has a transistor to drive the liquid crystal, which is different from the constitution of the transmitter type. As a result the reflector type has the characteristic that the opening ratio never decreases even when the pixel used therein keeps up with the trend to a finer image. Thereby the reflector type has an advantage to comply with an increased number of pixels in future liquid crystal projectors. However, a fault of the reflector type is that the optical path length gets longer because a light beam goes and returns within a PBS prism 1 and a cross prism 2. When an optical path difference due to a birefringence is denoted by .delta. (nm), there exists the following relation. EQU .delta.=B.times..sigma..times.d PA1 P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; 20-60 wt % and PA1 BaO+PbO; 40-73 wt %. PA1 P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; 30-60 wt %, PA1 BaO; 10-60 wt %, PA1 PbO; less than 50 wt % and PA1 BaO+PbO; 40-70 wt %. PA1 P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; 35-56 wt %, PA1 BaO; 12-56 wt %, PA1 PbO; less than 46 wt % and PA1 BaO+PbO; 43-65 wt %. PA1 P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; 20-70 wt % and PA1 BaO; 30-60 wt %. PA1 P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; 30-60 wt % and PA1 BaO; 40-60 wt. %. PA1 B.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; less than 4%, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; less than 3%. Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; less than 2%, WO.sub.3 ; 0-6, MgO; 0-5%, CaO; 0-6%, SrO; 0-6, ZnO; 0-6%, La.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; 0-3%, TiO.sub.2 ; 0-5%, Li.sub.2 O; less than 1%, Na.sub.2 O; less than 3%. K.sub.2 O; 0-3% Cs.sub.2 O; 0-3%, Li.sub.2 O+Na.sub.2 O; less than 5%, Na.sub.2 O+K.sub.2 O; less than 3%, Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; less than 0.5%, As.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; 0-2%, SnO.sub.2 ; 0-2%, Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3 +Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 +Tl.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; less than 0.5%. PA1 P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; 23-42 wt %, PA1 PbO; 50-70 wt % and PA1 Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; 0.5-5 wt % (as an optional addition) PA1 P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; 25-40 wt %, PA1 PbO; 52-71 wt % and PA1 Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; 1-4 wt %. PA1 MgO; 0-10%, CaO; 0-10%, SrO; 0-10%, BaO; 0-15%, B.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; 0-10%, ZnO; 0-8%, Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; 0-2%, As.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; 0-2%, SnO.sub.2 ; 0-2%. PA1 ZnO; 0-8 wt %, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; 0-5 wt %, La.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; 0-3 wt %, MgO, 0-10 wt %, CaO; 0-10 wt % and SrO; 0-10 wt %. PA1 P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; 0.029=0.01, BaO; -0.021.+-.0.01, PbO: -0.036.+-.0.01, B.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; 0.05.+-.0.01, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; 0.01.+-.0.01, Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; 0.11.+-.0.01, WO.sub.3 ; 0.05.+-.0.01, MgO; 0.04.+-.0.01, CaO; 0.016.+-.0.01, SrO; 0.008.+-.0.01, ZnO; 0.037.+-.0.01, La.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; -0.01.+-.0.01, TiO.sub.2 ; 0.03.+-.0.01, Li.sub.2 O, 0.015.+-.0.01, Na.sub.2 O; 0.025.+-.0.01, K.sub.2 O; 0.03.+-.0.01, Cs.sub.2 O; 0.03.+-.0.01, Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; 0.04.+-.0.01, Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; 0.05.+-.0.01, TeO.sub.2 ; 0.05.+-.0.01, PbF.sub.2 ; -0.03.+-.0.01, BaF.sub.2, -0.015.+-.0.01. The constituents and the contents thereof are determined based upon these inherent stress-optical coefficients values and then a stress-optical coefficient glass having a desired stress-optical coefficient is produced.
In the case of a reflector type liquid crystal projector, the reasons are as follows:
In the above equation, the symbol .sigma. (10.sup.5 Pa) represents an internal stress when a thermal action or dynamic force is applied, the symbol d (cm) designates an optical path length, and the symbol B denotes a stress-optical coefficient (10.sup.-12 Pa). When the stress-optical coefficient B is constant and the internal stress .sigma. or the optical path length d becomes larger, the birefringence gets larger. When the birefringence increases, the resolving power into P-polarized light and S-polarized light is resultingly disturbed. In particular, under the condition of an OFF state representing a black color as a pixel, a light beam which is expected to have been converted from P-polarized light to S-polarized light remains P-polarized light and thereby produces an unevenness of the black color on the screen (in the transmitter type, the internal stress .sigma. and the optical path length d each becomes larger, which causes a problem).
Since a birefringence is presented by the product of the B, .sigma. and d, it is possible to decrease a birefringence by counterbalancing the increment due to the .sigma. or d, by the decrement of the B. Going to extremes, as long as the B is zero, the .delta. is zero even when the .sigma. or d is large.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 9-48631, a low stress-optical coefficient glass of B.sub.2 O.sub.3 --Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 --PbO system is described. In the glass, the constituent PbO has the strongest effect to decrease an stress-optical coefficient among the addable constituents to the glass. Accordingly, it is possible to make the stress-optical coefficient close to zero by using a large quantity of PbO in the glass, even though the components B.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 each has the effect to increase the stress-optical coefficient. However, there is a demerit in that the transmittance around the wavelength of 400 nm is lowered when a large quantity of PbO is used.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 9-48633, a low stress-optical coefficient glass being fluorophosphate-based is described. The glass contains fluorine, which is accordingly volatilized in quantity during the time of dissolution. Consequently it is difficult to obtain such a glass which a high reproducibility concerning optical characteristics such as an stress-optical coefficient, dispersibility and the like. Also, striae within the glass are developed influentially to thereby reduce the yield of the good glass products. Hence, to contain the constituent of fluorine does not necessarily mean to lower an stress-optical coefficient, especially since the use of a large quantity of fluorine causes a bad homogeneity within the glass.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Sho 50-71708, a phosphate optical glass of P.sub.2 O.sub.5 --PbO--Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 system is described. This glass is intended to obtain an optical glass, which gets little colored and has a high refractive index, and is never oriented to be used in an application for a low stress-optical coefficient glass. Consequently, in the most of the examples no less than 5 wt. % of Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 is contained therein and hence the stress-optical coefficients thereof are over +0.8.times.10.sup.-12 Pa. In each example using less than 5% of Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5, since more than 50% of PbO is contained therein, the refractive index thereof becomes over 1.73, and an external transmittance is occasionally worsened because a large amount of PbO is used.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 2-188442, a phosphoric acid based optical glass of P.sub.2 O.sub.5 --Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 --B.sub.2 O.sub.3 --RO (Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Pb) system is described. This glass is intended to obtain an optical glass, which has a high light beam transmittance in the ultraviolet region, and is never oriented to be used in an application for a low stress-optical coefficient glass. Consequently, in the glass having more than 36% of P.sub.2 O.sub.5, the stress-optical coefficient is more than +0.8.times.10.sup.-12 Pa because the sum of the constituents of BaO and PbO is less than 42%. When the constituent of P.sub.2 O.sub.5 falls into the range of 32 to 36%, more than 4% of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 is contained therein and accordingly the liquid phase temperature becomes higher. As a result this is inappropriate for an actual manufacturing thereof.
Further, In JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF GRASS TECHNOLOGY (1957, 359T-362T, "The effects of the Polarization of the Constituent Ion on the Photoelastic Birefringence of the Glass", BY MEGUMI TASHIRO), a binary glass of P.sub.2 O.sub.5 --PbO system is disclosed, and it is described that the stress-optical coefficient becomes zero when the composition consists of P.sub.2 O.sub.5 : 40.5 wt. % and PbO : 59.5 wt %. However, the glass of such a composition has a drawback that it is poor in the chemical durability, liable to cause yellowing due to moisture in air, and its practicability is low.
As mentioned above, there has not yet been obtained a low stress-optical coefficient glass which overcomes the above various problems and which has a stress-optical coefficient, a refractive index and the like which falls within a predetermined range, and which glass further has a low liquid phase temperature and the possibility of being mass-produced. | {
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Based on a variety of different observations, interferon alpha (IFN-α) is a cytokine believed to be involved in a number of autoimmune diseases. Although systemic lupus erythomatosus (SLE) patients often do not have measurable serum levels of IFN-α, they appear to have a clear IFN-α gene signature. In addition, induction of dendritic cell (DC) maturation by treatment of DCs with SLE patient serum can be inhibited by an anti-IFN-α antibody. It has also been shown that knockout of the IFN-α/β receptor in New Zealand Black (NZB) mice having an SLE phenotype results in a near normal phenotype (Santiago-Raber et al., J Exp Med. 2003; 197(6):777-88).
Antibodies against IFN-α have therefore been suggested as tools to neutralize the activity of this cytokine for the treatment of such autoimmune diseases, alone or in combination. Specific murine antibodies (ACO-1 to ACO-6) that recognize a wide range of different IFN-α subtypes were generated and characterized as described in the international patent application published as WO20060086586. However, murine antibodies are not suitable for use in humans because of their immunogenicity, and it is therefore desirable to generate humanized antibodies where the murine CDRs are grafted onto a human scaffold antibody. However humanized antibodies often suffer from functional deficiencies as compared to the murine parent, such as, e.g., a lower affinity and/or stability and/or undesirable immunogenicity. Such deficiencies in humanized antibodies can in some cases be compensated for by making one or a few back point mutations. It is usually desirable to perform no or only a very few back point mutations since the presence of too many back mutations tend to result in undesirable low stability and/or an undesirable degree of immunogenicity. The provision of a safe and stable humanized anti-IFN-α antibody having desirable biological properties such as e.g. retaining affinity and potency of the humanized anti-IFN-α antibody to a large number of IFN-α subtypes is thus desirable.
There is thus a need in the art for humanized anti-IFN-α antibodies having desirable features with respect to features such as, e.g., stability, specificity, safety, immunogenicity, etc. Furthermore, there is a need in the art for efficient methods for producing such antibodies. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
Generally, the present disclosure relates to the manufacturing of semiconductor devices, and, more specifically, to various methods of modulating strain in PFET and NFET FinFET semiconductor devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In modern integrated circuits, such as microprocessors, storage devices and the like, a very large number of circuit elements, especially transistors, are provided on a restricted chip area. Transistors come in a variety of shapes and forms, e.g., planar transistors, FinFET transistors, nanowire devices, etc. The transistors are typically either NMOS (NFET) or PMOS (PFET) type devices wherein the “N” and “P” designation is based upon the type of dopants used to create the source/drain regions of the devices. So-called CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) technology or products refers to integrated circuit products that are manufactured using both NMOS and PMOS transistor devices. Irrespective of the physical configuration of the transistor device, each device comprises drain and source regions and a gate electrode structure positioned above and between the source/drain regions. Upon application of an appropriate control voltage to the gate electrode, a conductive channel region forms between the drain region and the source region.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative prior art FinFET semiconductor device 10 that is formed in a semiconductor substrate 12. The device 10 includes three illustrative fins 14, a gate structure 16, sidewall spacers 18 and a gate cap layer 20. The gate structure 16 is typically comprised of a layer of insulating material (not separately shown), e.g., a layer of high-k insulating material, and one or more conductive material layers (not separately shown) that serve as the gate electrode for the device 10. In this example, the fins 14 are comprised of a substrate fin portion 14A and an alternative fin material portion 14B. The substrate fin portion 14A may be made of silicon, i.e., the same material as the substrate, and the alternative fin material portion 14B may be made of a material other than the substrate material, for example, silicon-germanium. The fins 14 are typically formed by etching a plurality of trenches 13 into the substrate 12. A recessed layer of insulating material (not shown) is normally positioned in the trenches 13 between the fins 14. The fins 14 have a three dimensional configuration: a height H, a width W and an axial length L. The axial length L corresponds to the direction of current travel in the device 10 when it is operational. The portions of the fins 14 covered by the gate structure 16 are the channel regions of the FinFET device 10. In a conventional process flow, the portions of the fins 14 that are positioned outside of the spacers 18 correspond to the source/drain regions of the device 10.
Device manufacturers are under constant pressure to produce integrated circuit products with increased performance and lower production costs relative to previous device generations. Thus, device designers spend a great amount of time and effort to maximize device performance while seeking ways to reduce manufacturing costs and improve manufacturing reliability. Device designers are currently investigating using alternative semiconductor materials, such as so-called SiGe, Ge and III-V materials, to manufacture FinFET devices which are intended to enhance the performance capabilities of such devices at a given supply voltage or to enable lower-voltage operation without degrading their operating speed. For P-type FinFET devices having a germanium-containing channel material, such as substantially pure germanium, the performance of such devices is increased if the channel material is compressively strained, while the performance of such P-type FinFET devices degrades if the channel material is under a tensile strain. Conversely, N-type FinFET devices can exhibit increased performance when formed using substantially unstrained SiGe or tensile strained material for the channel region. The problem is that, in traditional manufacturing techniques, fins for all of the devices (both N and P) are formed at the same time across the substrate so as to enable precise formation of the fins without concern for dimensional variations in the fins due to so-called etch loading effects. Thus, using prior art manufacturing techniques, the formation of, for example, germanium-containing fins with acceptable strain conditions for both N and P type devices is problematic.
The present disclosure is directed to various methods that may solve or reduce one or more of the problems identified above. | {
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The present invention relates to liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, and more specifically, to the prevention or elimination of non-uniformity in a display due to the non-uniformity of the thickness of liquid crystal cells employed in color LCD devices.
In a conventional (color) liquid crystal display device 120 (commonly referred to as an LCD device, LCD unit or sometimes just LCD), as is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, an active matrix thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate 1 and a common electrode substrate 2 are disposed in close proximity to each other in an opposing manner. A liquid crystal layer 3 fills the space between them. On the TFT array substrate 1, source bus 6, which preferably forms vertical columns, and gate bus 7, which preferably forms horizontal lines, preferably intersect each other, forming a net-like meshed pattern. The protruding surfaces of the source bus 6 and the gate bus 7 (referred to hereafter as both buses) are preferably disposed approximately on the same plane. Picture element electrodes 8 within the meshes made by both buses are preferably formed to be considerably thinner than both buses, and a TFT 9 is preferably formed corresponding to the picture element electrode 8 on the periphery of each mesh (as also illustrated in FIG. 11).
When a gate voltage for scanning is applied to the gate bus 7, the TFT 9 is turned on, and the charge from the image signal applied to the source bus 6 is stored in the picture element capacity formed between the picture element electrode 8 and the common electrode 16 below.
As illustrated in FIGS. 8-12, in order to increase the conductivity of the source bus 6 of conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) device 120, the source bus 6 is preferably formed as a three-layer construction, and preferably, of indium tin oxide (ITO) 6a, molybdenum (Mo) 6b, and aluminum (Al) 6c. A protruding surface of source bus 6 is preferably formed approximately to the same height as a protruding surface of the gate bus 7. At the places where both buses 6 and 7 intersect, as is shown in FIG. 12, the source bus 6 is preferably made thin. In other words, a groove is cut in source bus 6. On top of source bus 6 is preferably formed an insulating film (SiNx) 11, and thereafter, the gate bus 7 is preferably formed in such a way that at points of intersection, the overall formation does not get particularly high or thick. Thus, as can be seen from FIG. 12, a gap is formed between both buses. Thus, buses 6 and 7 do not make electrical contact with each other where they cross or intersect.
Referring to FIG. 9, a black matrix 14 preferably forms a net-like pattern on a glass substrate 13 of a common electrode substrate 2. The net-like pattern (meshes) of black matrix 14 preferably opposes the meshes of TFT array substrate 1. In the meshes of the black matrix 14, red R, green G, and blue B color filters 15 are preferably formed, each filter being separated from adjacent filters by a gap. Common electrode 16 is preferably formed on the inner surface of the glass substrate 13 on which the color filters are formed. Common electrode 16 is preferably formed in such a way that it covers the entire surface.
There are various types of color filters known in the art for conventional CD device 120. Typically, for color filters 15, filters with differing thicknesses for R, G, B colors are preferably used. With color filters 15, the intensity of the transmitted light of the liquid crystal cells differs according to the R, G, and B wavelength. In order to compensate for this, the thicknesses for the each of the R, G, B color filters are preferably different. Typically, the thicknesses t for the color filters R, G, and B, identified as tr, tg, and tb (as seen in FIG. 9), are preferably such that tb greater than tg greater than tr. As a result, an LCD device which employs these filters has liquid crystal cells, each cell varying in thicknesses due to the use of R, G, and B filters. The formation of filters with different thicknesses within an LCD device is known as multigap construction.
In conventional LCD devices 120, display non-uniformity results from, among other factors, non-uniformity in the thicknesses of the liquid crystal cells. When display non-uniformity occurs, visibility diminishes. For this reason, before the two substrates 1 and 2 are joined together in the LCD, granular spacers (not shown) with the same diameter are preferably spread uniformly on the TFT array substrate 1 and the common electrode substrate 2. Thereafter substrates 1 and 2 are joined together and the liquid crystal is inserted. The thickness of the cells is determined by the spacers employed.
However, with a multigap color LCD (which has color filters, preferably R, G and B, of varying thickness which are not equal to each other), the uniformly spread spacers do not function effectively in properly setting the thickness of all the liquid crystal cells. For example, referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, on the common electrode substrate 2, a blue color filter 15b is formed thicker than a red color filter 15r, and a green color filter 15g, with the top of the blue color filter 15b protruding the most. As a result, in the regions where the blue color filter 15b overlaps with both buses 6 and 7, namely, the shaded areas in FIG. 8, the distance between the formations on substrates 1 and 2 (referred to as cell thickness d), is thinnest, and both glass substrates 1 and 2 are supported only by the spacers spread in this region. As those of skill in the art of conventional LCD devices 120 will recognize, the shaded regions as illustrated in FIG. 8 depict the portions where the spacers are effective to prevent display non-uniformity, yet make up only a small portion of the surface area of substrates 1 and 2. Because spacers have a tendency to move, if this effective region is small, the cell thickness is not always stable. In this situation, non-uniformity in cell thickness occurs, thereby causing non-uniformity in display. Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to make the effective region of spacers within the liquid crystal larger, keep cell thickness stable, eliminate non-uniformity of cell thickness and prevent non-uniformity of the color LCD display.
The following summary of the invention is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the present invention, and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the invention can only be gained by considering the entire specification, claims, and drawings, as a whole.
The present invention is a multigap liquid crystal display having a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate and a common electrode substrate formed together. The tallest color filters (preferably blue color filters) are formed so that their surface area does not overlap the source bus and the gate bus surrounding the opposing picture element electrodes above. In addition, the shorter (preferably green) color filters are formed to overlap the source bus and the gate bus surrounding the opposing picture element electrodes above. Furthermore, the film thickness of the source bus, the gate bus, the taller (preferably blue) color filter thickness tb and the shorter (preferably green) color filter thickness tg are set so that the distance between the shorter (preferably green) color filters and both buses is set approximately equal to the distance between the taller (preferably blue) color filters and the picture element electrodes.
The novel features of the present invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description of the invention or can be learned by practice of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description of the invention and the specific examples presented, while indicating certain embodiments of the present invention, are provided for illustration purposes only because various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art from the detailed description of the invention and claims that follow. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to laser heads that are fiber coupled to laser diode pump sources, and more particularly to a laser or laser amplifier apparatus with a laser head that is fiber coupled to a diode source which produces a polarized pump beam, and includes a depolarization device or method which changes the polarized pump beam to a depolarized pump beam.
2. Description of Related Art
Laser systems with fiber coupling imaging are known. One such system includes a laser head coupled by an optical fiber or fiber bundle to a power supply which contains a laser diode pumping source suitable for pumping a solid state laser medium in the laser head. A pump beam is transmitted from the power supply to the laser head by the optical fiber. In many instances the image size from the fiber is matched to the mode size in the laser medium. The image size from the fiber is determined by the fiber diameter and divergence of the light from the fiber. The use of the fiber optic coupling allows the laser head to be compact and contain only the optical elements while all of the electronic and other elements, including the pumping source, can be placed in a separate, stationary power supply. Another advantage is that the cooling requirements of the head are minimized, allowing for high power, small air-cooled heads. Since the optical fiber can be long, this system configuration provides flexibility in the use of the laser, making the laser head portable. Further, different laser heads can be readily interchanged. Thus a variety of different laser heads which have different output characteristics can be used, essentially giving the user the benefit of several different systems but without the expense and redundance of entire separate systems because only a new laser head is required with the same power supply to have an entire new system.
Because the laser head contains only the optical components, the availability of different outputs becomes relatively economic. The down time in the case of a laser head failure is minimized since a replacement head can easily be substituted. Another advantage to the use of fiber optic coupling imagery for pumping the laser medium is that in the event the pump source must be replaced, the diode source can be replaced and matched into the fibers without the need for realignment of the laser head.
Diode pump sources typically produce a linearly polarized light output. Linear polarization is a condition in which the electric field vector associated with the light varies in amplitude at the light frequency, but is always oriented along one axis in space, in a plane perpendicular to the direction of light propagation. Passage of the light through subsequent optical elements can cause modification of this polarization. It may remain linear, but have a different direction within the perpendicular plane. The polarization may become circular, in which the vector amplitude remains constant, but its direction rotates at the light frequency, within this plane. More generally, the polarization can become elliptical, in which both the amplitude and direction of the electric vector vary within the perpendicular plane, at the light frequency, but with an arbitrary phase relationship.
Polarization is typically measured with a linear polarization analyzer, which measures the dominant direction of the polarization and the degree to which it approaches the ideal linear case. Results are frequently quoted as the angle of the dominant direction and the "extinction ratio", the ratio of power transmission through the analyzer with it oriented in the dominant direction and orthogonal to that direction. Perfect linear polarization would have an infinite extinction ratio, while perfect circular or perfectly random polarization would have a ratio of 1:1 and no dominant orientation. The general elliptical case would have a dominant direction and an intermediate extinction value.
Multimode optical fibers or fiber bundles, such as are commonly used in diode-pumped, fiber-coupled laser systems, are often viewed as "light pipes", which maintain the optical frequency and intensity of the light they transmit, but degrade its spacial and phase coherence. In particular, it was previously assumed that polarization of the input light would not be preserved at the output. However, it has been observed that in a short optical fiber or bundle, as is typically used in a fiber-coupled laser system, a significant amount of the input polarization character is preserved. For instance, linearly-polarized diode laser pump light, with an extinction ratio of perhaps 500:1 can, when passed through a short length of optical fiber, still exhibit extinction ratios of 3:1. However, the exact direction of polarization and extinction ratio vary among fibers and depend on the physical conditions surrounding the fiber. In particular, the output polarization varies with fiber position.
Pump light absorption characteristics in a solid state laser gain medium are often anisotropic, in other words, depend on the nature of the pump light polarization. Therefore, changes in this polarization can affect performance of the solid state laser. Based on the previous discussion, it should be clear that detailed performance of the laser can depend on the relative position of the power supply, fiber and laser head, and the particular fiber being used. This is a disadvantage when constant laser performance is desired when changing system components or repositioning the system.
To overcome this problem, pump light must be incident on the laser gain medium with a polarization state that is insensitive to laser system reconfiguration. This can be achieved if the pump light is completely depolarized, e.g., has no preferred orientation. Depolarization of the pump light can be accomplished between the laser diode and the fiber input along the fiber, or between the fiber output and the laser gain medium.
It would be desirable to provide a diode pumped, fiber coupled system that is insensitive to the movement of components of the system. It would be further desirable to provide a diode pumped, fiber coupled system which delivers an unpolarized pump beam to the laser gain medium. | {
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The present invention relates to a transfer unit for test elements that are used for detection of an analyte in a body fluid.
Many different kinds of systems and devices for analysis of body fluids are known, in particular, systems in which a large number of test elements are stored. The test elements are generally strip-shaped and are accommodated in a magazine. Disk-shaped storage systems or drum-shaped storage systems are suitable for storing test elements. However, disk-shaped or drum-shaped magazines are only practicable for a small number of 5 to 20 test elements. For test elements up to this number, disk-shaped and drum-shaped magazines are good ways of ensuring space-saving storage of test elements.
If larger quantities of test elements are to be stored, however, a disk magazine or drum magazine becomes unmanageable since, in order to receive a larger number of test elements, the diameter of the disk or drum magazine must be increased. For test elements numbering 20 or more, stack magazines according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,827,899 can be used. The stack magazine known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,827,899 stores fresh test elements, but requires that the user dispose of individual used test elements contaminated with a body fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,424 relates to a device for handling measurement strips which are used to collect fluid samples, for example, blood samples. The measurement strips have a porous material for absorbing the fluid sample and for analysis thereof. The measurement device according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,424 has a reservoir which is designed as a composite structure for measurement strips that take up samples, it has another reservoir for receiving used measurement strips, and also has a delivery mechanism for measurement strips. The device known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,424, with the reservoir for unused measurement strips and the reservoir for used measurement strips, is preferably integrated inside a housing part.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,534,017 relates to a storage device for test elements. The test elements are held inside a magazine, and the test elements have one or more test zones which are arranged lying next to one another on a rectangular support. The magazine comprises at least one pair of guide grooves which are arranged lying opposite each other and into which the test elements are inserted in such a way that they lie directly next to one another and the edges of contiguous supports abut one another. According to a further aspect of U.S. Pat. No. 6,534,017, a slide is proposed which is used in addition to the magazine and which serves to move a layer of test elements along the guide grooves to the opposite end and to dispense test elements from the magazine.
One disadvantage of the devices discussed above is that the person using an analysis system or an analysis device for examining a human body fluid for an analyte has to dispose of contaminated test elements himself, which is regarded as highly unsatisfactory and needs to be remedied. | {
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Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor, integrated circuits in computers or other electronic devices. There are many different types of memory, including random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), resistive memory, e.g., RRAM, and Flash memory, among others.
Memory devices are utilized as volatile and non-volatile data storage for a wide range of electronic applications. Flash memory typically uses a one-transistor memory cell that allows for high memory densities, high reliability, and low power consumption. Non-volatile memory may be used in, for example, personal computers, portable memory sticks, solid-state drives (SSDs), digital cameras, cellular telephones, portable music players such as MP3 players, movie players, and other electronic devices.
Memory devices can comprise memory arrays of memory cells, which can be arranged in various two- or three-dimensional configurations. Circuitry coupled to a memory array can be arranged in a substantially planar configuration, for instance. Interconnections are used to couple memory cells and associated circuitry. | {
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The present invention relates generally to an improved composite material. More specifically, the present invention relates to a thermally conductive composite material that is easily moldable or castable.
In the heat sink industries industries, it has been well known to employ metallic materials for thermal conductivity applications, such as heat dissipation for cooling semiconductor device packages. For these applications, such as heat sinks, the metallic material typically is tooled or machined from bulk metals into the desired configuration. However, such metallic conductive articles are typically very heavy, costly to machine and are susceptible to corrosion. Further, the geometries of machined metallic heat dissipating articles are very limited to the inherent limitations associated with the machining or tooling process. As a result, the requirement of use of metallic materials which are machined into the desired form, place severe limitations on heat sink design particular when it is known that certain geometries, simply by virtue of their design, would realize better efficiency but are not attainable due to the limitations in machining metallic articles.
It is widely known in the prior art that improving the overall geometry of a heat dissipating article, can greatly enhance the overall performance of the article even if the material is the same. Therefore, the need for improved heat sink geometries necessitated an alternative to the machining of bulk metallic materials. To meet this need, attempts have been made in the prior art to provide molded compositions that include conductive filler material therein to provide the necessary thermal conductivity. The ability to mold a conductive composite enabled the design of more complex part geometries to realize improved performance of the part.
The attempts in the prior art included the employment of a polymer base matrix loaded with a granular material, such as boron nitride grains. Also, attempts have been made to provide a polymer base matrix loaded with flake-like filler material. These attempts are, indeed, moldable into complex geometries but still do not approach the desired performance levels found in metallic machined parts. In addition, known conductive plastic materials are undesirable because they are typically very expensive to manufacture because they employ very expensive filler materials. Still further, these conductive composite materials must be molded with extreme precision due to concerns of filler alignment during the molding process. Even with precision molding and design, inherent problems of fluid turbulence, collisions with the mold due to complex product geometries make it impossible to position the filler ideally thus causing the composition to perform far less than desirable.
Moreover, the entire matrix of the composition must be satisfactory because heat transfer is a bulk property rather than a direct path property such as the transfer of electricity. A direct path is needed to conduct electricity. However, heat is transferred in bulk where the entire volume of the body is employed for the transfer. Therefore, even if a highly conductive narrow conduit is provided through a much lower conductive body, the heat transfer would not be as good as a body which is consistently marginally conductive throughout the entire body. Therefore, consistency of the thermal conductivity of the entire matrix of the composite body is essential for overall high thermal conductivity.
In view of the foregoing, there is a demand for a composite material that is highly thermally conductive. In addition, there is a demand for a composite material that can be molded or cast into complex product geometries. There is also a demand for such a moldable article that exhibits thermal conductivity as close as possible to purely metallic conductive materials while being relatively low in cost to manufacture. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to microwave oven structures and in particular to means for providing microwave energy from the generating means to the oven cavity.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the conventional microwave oven, a magnetron or the like is provided for generating microwave energy for use in heating objects disposed within an associated oven cavity. A waveguide is provided for conducting the microwave energy from the generating means through an inlet opening in the wall of the oven cavity.
In one form of microwave oven, the waveguide is tuned. One example of such a tuned waveguide is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,605 of Allan Yee. As shown therein, the tuner comprises a waveguide fastener secured to the bottom wall of the waveguide as by conventional rivet means.
It is further conventional to provide a stirrer within the oven cavity for distributing the microwave energy delivered through an inlet opening. The stirrer conventionally is arranged to rotate adjacent the inlet opening and in the above-identified Yee patent, a motor driven stirrer is provided, including a center disc having attached thereto a stirrer ring with projecting portions so as to define a capacitor with eight rotating antennae.
Peter H. Smith shows, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,300,615, an electronic oven having a baffle plate within the oven adjacent the inlet opening functioning to spread the microwave energy substantially evenly around the periphery of the interior of the oven.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,423, Duane B. Haagensen shows a microwave oven having a plate provided to confine the microwave power to a more restricted opening to effect a more complete diversion of energy. The deflector includes a shaft that permits a swinging movement of the plate. Means are provided connected to the door of the device to cause the plate to be advanced into the waveguide when the door is opened and to be withdrawn therefrom when the door is closed.
Stewart C. Johnson shows, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,880, a microwave oven wherein a deflector is provided at an angle to the inlet opening.
Franklin J. Smith shows, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,446,929, a microwave apparatus wherein the waveguide is provided with a plurality of slots to provide for distributed injection of energy from a generator into the heating space. A baffle is mounted near the central portion of the tunnel for coupling the microwave energy into the tunnel.
Werner Golombek et al show a waveguide structure in U.S. Pat. No. 3,522,550, wherein a tuning stub is provided which, by suitable adjustment, moves the mean operating point of the system from the center of the generator diagram to the region of high efficiency in high output power.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,325, Kazumi Hirai shows a microwave oven utilizing a microwave energy reflector which directs the microwave energy onto a fan for conducting cooling air through the oven and which apparently directs the microwaves in a disperse manner into the oven chamber.
Mahlon W. Slocum et al show, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,749, a microwave tuning screw assembly mounted in the opening of the oven cavity or waveguide to provide positive shorting at an inner wall of the cavity or waveguide. | {
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The present invention generally pertains to call centers such as interactive computer systems with access provided through a telephone. More specifically, the present invention pertains to improving the user experience by confirming or verifying the user's satisfaction with the information provided by the call center.
Call centers are used by many companies to provide product support or otherwise enable customers to obtain information. Typically, a customer makes a call to the call center and is held in a queue awaiting an attendant, operator or the system to free up resources to answer the call. Some call centers may be automated where an interactive voice response system makes inquiries upon the caller to classify the need of the caller for proper routing to an attendant or operator, or is fully automated and provides information believed correct to satisfy the customer's problem or inquiry.
In many instances the caller is provided with information comprising for example a set of instructions or tasks that he or she will implement after hanging up. For instance, to help with a software or a computer problem, the customer may be asked to make a series of setting changes, reboot the computer, and start the application again to fix a problem.
Frustration however will develop if the information provided to the customer does not solve the problem. In many instances, the customer is not as frustrated with the fact the information did not solve the problem, but rather may be more frustrated knowing the time that is necessary to call the call center again, answer the initial inquiries to classify the call, if required, wait in a queue, re-describe the problem all in an attempt to hopefully obtain another possible solution.
The present invention provides solutions to one or more of the above-described problems and/or provides other advantages over the prior art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to oscillators and more particularly to crystal oscillators having both negative and positive feedback loops.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Many oscillator designs have been suggested in which a high Q, series resonant circuit, such as a piezoelectric crystal is used to produce frequency stability. Such oscillators are used as reference frequency generators in many applications. A primary consideration in these applications is that the oscillator output be stable against changes due to voltage, temperature and secular changes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,530 to Feistel et al shows a Butler Oscillator having an amplitude limiting amplifier following a filter network interposed between the voltage amplification stage and the impedance matching stage in order to ensure that the crystal is driven by a sinusodial waveform, free of distortion, for maximum frequency stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,873 to Healey, III et al discloses a cascode amplifier configuration comprising first and second transistors in combination with inductance and capacitance elements to provide an oscillator configuration with phase shift in the vicinity of the oscillator frequency dominantly controlled by the quartz crystal unit motional impedance parameters.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,481 to Healey, III discloses a VHF oscillator circuit having first and second transistors, a first resonant circuit coupled to each of the collectors of the first and second transistors, and a transformer for coupling energy from the first resonant circuit in a manner that signals substantially equal in amplitude but opposite in phase are applied respectively to the bases of the first and second transistors. In addition, an anti-resonant circuit comprising a crystal unit is coupled to the emitter of the first transistor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,569,865 to Healey III discloses a high stability voltage controlled oscillator having a series coupled emitter follower transistor amplifier with regenerative feedback to a tuned circuit coupled to the base electrode of the amplifier. The tuned circuit has a narrow pass band crystal filter in series with a variable capacitor and in parallel with a low Q inductor with a controlled voltage adapted to be coupled to the variable capacity device to vary the capacitive reactance of the tuned circuit to produce oscillation over a limited frequency range with high stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,571,754 to Healey III discloses a variable frequency harmonic oscillator including a voltage tunable crystal controlled resonator incorporating a quartz crystal unit with precisely anti-resonated static capacitance operating substantially at the series resonant frequency of the quartz as opposed to the anti-resonant frequency thereof and a voltage variable reactance network coupled thereto having a linear reactance vs. voltage characteristic.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,494 to Gerum discloses a crystal oscillator for use in clocks and watches.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,378 to Buchanan discloses a voltage controlled oscillator employing three series TTL inverting gates. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the microwave preparation of food. More particularly, it relates to the release of food aromas during the microwave preparation of food. This invention especially relates to compositions which will release aromas of cooking food during microwave preparation of comestibles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Microwave ovens for home use have found widespread acceptance. The fact that the cooking and/or reheating of food in the domestic microwave oven is achieved in such relatively short periods of time is probably the principal reason for the high sales of these units in recent years.
Essentially all domestic microwave ovens operate at 2450 MHz. The dielectric properties of food at this frequency parallels those of water which is the principal lossy constituent of food. The absorption of microwave energy by food by the interaction of the dipole water molecule in the microwave field results in a localized heating resulting in the desired cooking or reheating. Despite the widespread use of microwave ovens, a major shortcoming involved in their use is the lack of desirable aroma release from comestibles during their preparation by microwave heating. The reason for this may be attributed to the basic functioning of the microwave oven. Since the action of microwave energy on the dipole water molecule is the principal cause of heat generation within the water-containing comestible, the maximum temperature obtainable on a comestible surface exposed to microwave energy is about 100.degree. C. In a thermal oven, normal cooking and roasting temperatures are in the range of about 175.degree. to about 235.degree. C. (350.degree.-450.degree. F.). Further, the short cooking times achieved by using a microwave oven may also contribute to the lack of aroma generation from the comestible. It is thought that the combination of temperatures in excess of 100.degree. C. and periods of time in excess of about 5 minutes are necessary for the typical generation and release of the familiar roasting or cooking aromas. Thus, the very features of the microwave oven which make it so attractive to people anxious to quickly prepare a tasty meal, prevent the generation of kitchen aromas which would be harbingers of the upcoming meal.
The generation or release of aromas from comestibles being prepared in a microwave oven would enhance the usefulness of this appliance, as well as, increasing the acceptance of microwaveable convenience foods provided with an appropriate aroma-releasing composition.
It is an object of this invention to provide aroma release during microwave preparation of comestibles.
It is another object of the invention to provide aroma-producing compositions for use when comestibles are prepared in a microwave oven.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a means for providing aroma with a comestible package for sale to, and preparation in a microwave oven by, a consumer.
The achievement of these and other objects will be apparent from the following description of the subject invention. | {
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The stopping of doors is known in the prior art to prevent unauthorized entry into a room or area, and the stops normally associated with same comprise structure similar to the following patents, of which applicant is aware:
U.S. Pat. No. 778,823, Fay PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,064,320, Glindkamp PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,392,467, Topp PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,442,991, Auclair PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,943,826, Holtzman PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,743, Newell
None of these references teach either the concept or the structure of the present invention and accordingly, do not provide the safety, tamper-proof ability, easy removal in case of emergency, portability, or use in any room with a solid carpet. | {
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The invention relates to the field of low threading dislocation density relaxed mismatched epilayers, and in particular to such epilayers grown without high temperature.
The goal of combining different materials on a common substrate is desirable for a variety of integrated systems. Specifically, it has been a long-standing desire to combine different semiconductor and oxide materials on a common useful substrate such as a silicon substrate. However, just as the different materials properties are beneficial from the system application perspective, other properties may make such materials combinations problematic in processing. For example, semiconductor materials with different properties often have different lattice constants. Therefore, upon deposition of one semiconductor material on top of another substrate material can result in many defects in the semiconductor layer, rendering it useless for practical application.
Seminal work into the quantitative interpretation of dislocation densities and the connection to growth parameters was accomplished in the early 1990""s (see, for example, E. A. Fitzgerald et al. J. Vac. Sci Tech. B 10,1807 (1992)). Using relaxed SiGe alloys on Si as the model system, it was realized that higher temperature growth of compositionally graded layers was a key to producing a relaxed SiGe layer on Si with high perfection.
However, practical constraints from current equipment used to manufacture Si-based epitaxial layers create difficulty in depositing high germanium concentration alloys without deleterious particle formation from either gas phase nucleation or equipment coating. For example, a large amount of current Si-based epitaxial wafers are created using single-wafer, rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) systems. Although these systems offer great control of Si epilayer thickness uniformity across a wafer, the process encounters problems when germane is added to the gas stream to deposit SiGe alloy layers. Due to the lower decomposition temperature of germane than silane, dichlorosilane, or trichlorosilane, it is possible to nucleate germanium particles in the gas stream, or to coat parts of the reactor with thick deposits that can lead to particle generation.
The overall effect is that the epitaxial growth on the Si wafer can incorporate many particles, which not only degrade material quality locally, but also act as heterogeneous nucleation sites for additional threading dislocations, decreasing overall material quality. Particle generation occurs more rapidly with higher growth temperature; thus, the growth conditions that lead to lower threading dislocation densities (i.e. higher growth temperatures), unfortunately lead to more particles and a higher threading dislocation density than expected. Lower growth temperatures that avoid higher particle generation will create a higher threading dislocation density.
The problems of the prior art can be overcome by developing a method to create high dislocation velocities even though deposition occurs at lower growth temperatures. Accordingly, the invention provides a structure and a method to produce a low threading dislocation density, mismatched epilayer without the need for depositing the film at high temperature, thus avoiding the germane particle generation.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention there is provided a semiconductor structure and method of processing same including a substrate, a lattice-mismatched first layer deposited on the substrate and annealed at a temperature greater than 100xc2x0 C. above the deposition temperature, and a second layer deposited on the first layer with a greater lattice mismatch to the substrate than the first semiconductor layer.
In another embodiment there is provided a semiconductor graded composition layer structure on a semiconductor substrate and a method of processing same including a semiconductor substrate, a first semiconductor layer having a series of lattice-mismatched semiconductor layers deposited on the substrate and annealed at a temperature greater than 100xc2x0 C. above the deposition temperature, a second semiconductor layer deposited on the first semiconductor layer with a greater lattice mismatch to the substrate than the first semiconductor layer, and annealed at a temperature greater than 100xc2x0 C. above the deposition temperature of the second semiconductor layer. | {
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1. Field
This document relates to a method for controlling a tray applied in an optical disc drive (ODD).
2. Related Art
Various optical disc drives (ODDS) for recording or reproducing data on optical discs such as a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD) and a blue-ray disc (BD) are widely spread and used.
For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a general optical disc drive comprises a tray 10, a loading motor 11, a motor driver 12, a controller 13, an eject button 14, a first switch 15, a second switch 16, etc.
If the eject button 14 is pushed by a user in a state in which the tray 10 is inserted into the inside of the optical disc drive, i.e., in a state in which the tray 10 is closed, the controller 13 controls the motor driver 12 to drive the loading motor 11, and the tray 10 is extracted to the outside of the optical disc drive by rotation of the loading motor 11. On the contrary, if the eject button 14 is pushed by the user in a state in which the tray 10 is extracted to the outside of the optical disc drive, i.e., in a state in which the tray 10 is opened, the controller 13 controls the motor driver 12 to rotate the loading motor in the opposite direction, and the tray 10 is inserted into the inside of the optical disc drive by the rotation of the loading motor 11.
While the tray 10 is inserted into the inside of the optical disc drive in the state in which the tray 10 is opened, the state of the first switch 15 is changed from an on-state to an off-state, and the sate of the second switch 15 is maintained as the on-state. Then, if the tray 10 is completely inserted into the inside of the optical disc drive, both the first and second switches 15 and 16 are in the off-state. On the contrary, if the tray 10 is extracted to the outside of the optical disc drive in the state in which the tray 10 is closed, the state of the first switch 15 is maintained as the off-state, and the state of the second switch 16 is changed from the off-state to the on-state. If the tray 10 is completely extracted to the outside of the optical disc drive, both the first and second switches 15 and 16 are in the on-state.
The controller 13 controls an opening/closing operation of the tray 10 by checking on/off-states of the first and second switches 15 and 16.
As shown in FIG. 2, in a state in which power is applied to the optical disc drive (S10), a user pushes the eject button 14 (S11). Then, the controller 13 checks on/off-states of the first and second switches 15 and 16 (S12), and decides an open/close state of the tray 10 according to the on/off-states of the first and second switches 15 and 16. If both the first and second switches 15 and 16 are in the on-state as described above, the controller 13 decides the state of the tray 10 as an open state.
In a case where the state of the tray 10 is decided as the open state (S13), the controller 13 controls the motor driver 12 to drive the loading motor 11, thereby performing a tray closing operation of inserting the tray 10 into the inside of the optical disc drive (S14).
Then, if both the first and second switches 15 and 16 are in the off-state (S15), the controller 13 decides the state of the tray 10 as a state in which the closing of the tray 10 is completed (S16), and stops the driving of the loading motor 11.
On the other hand, if both the first and second switches 15 and 16 are in the off-state at the time when the eject button 14 is pushed, the controller 13 decides the sate of the tray 10 as a state in which the tray 10 is closed.
In a case where the state of the tray 10 is decided as the state in which the tray 10 is closed (S17), the controller 13 controls the motor driver 12 to drive the loading motor 11 in the opposite direction, thereby performing a tray opening operation of extracting the tray 10 to the outside of the optical disc drive (S18).
Then, if both the first and second switches 15 and 16 are in the on-state (S19), the controller 13 decides the state of the tray 10 as a state in which the opening of the tray 10 is completed (S20), and stops the driving of the loading motor 11.
Meanwhile, if the user forcibly pushes the tray 10 in the open state, as shown in FIG. 3, the state of the first switch 15 is changed from the on-state to the off-state, and the state of the second switch 16 is continuously maintained as the on-state.
If the first switch 15 is off and the second switch 16 is on (S21) although the eject button 14 is not pushed in the state in which the tray 10 is opened, the controller 13 decides that the tray 10 is forcibly pushed by the user (S22), and performs the tray closing operation described above.
However, since the first and second switches 15 and 16 are necessarily used to control the tray opening/closing operation in the general optical disc drive, manufacturing cost of the optical disc drive increases. Further, if a trouble occurs in at least one of the first and second switches 15 and 16, an error occurs in the tray opening/closing operation. | {
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Generally, a passivation layer is a final protection layer of a semiconductor device. The passivation layer is typically formed on an uppermost metal interconnect of the device, and serves to prevent scratching and/or contamination of a foreign substance on a chip surface during the packaging process. Such a passivation layer functions as a means for protecting the semiconductor device from environmental factors such as external moisture. The passivation layer can be formed by a combination of various oxide layers for stress-relief with a nitride layer serving as an excellent protection layer.
In the prior art, the passivation layer has, in some instances, been fabricated by depositing a Plasma Enhanced-Tetra-Ethyl-Ortho-Silicate (PE-TEOS) oxide layer using a Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) on a semiconductor substrate on which an uppermost metal interconnect for the semiconductor device has been formed, and subsequently depositing a SiH4 nitride layer using PECVD. Also, the passivation layer has been fabricated by depositing a SiH4 oxide layer using a high density plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (HDPCVD) process and subsequently depositing a SiH4 nitride layer using PECVD.
For a semiconductor device such as a multi-interconnect adapted device or a power device, the uppermost metal interconnect, (for example, a metal interconnect made of aluminum) is formed to have a thickness of 8000 to 10000 Å. In contrast, the uppermost metal interconnect of a conventional semiconductor device is formed to have a thickness of 5000 to 6000 Å. Further, the uppermost metal interconnect of the power device is typically formed in a relatively larger area.
However, because the passivation layer experiences a large stress for the thick and wide uppermost metal interconnect, a crack has often occurred in the passivation layer of prior art multi-interconnect adapted devices or prior art power devices during the packaging process. In other words, this stress has caused an increased incidence of defects in semiconductor products that are manufactured using a packaging process.
To reduce the incidence of defects in the semiconductor devices such as cracks of the passivation layer, it has been required that the passivation layer for the uppermost metal interconnect be subjected to low levels of stress, and that the passivation layer be composed of a high hardness material which is resistant to external shocks. | {
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As computer architecture has evolved, the desire to render increasingly more complex visual displays has also evolved. More specifically, while images were rarely displayed in early computing devices, today's computing devices are often configured to display images, graphics, and/or videos. Similarly, as the visual data for rendering has evolved, more data may be required to render the visual data. As such, new techniques are desired for facilitating accurate rendering of the data. Additionally, as the data for rendering increases, new techniques are desired to increase the speed and decrease the number of clock cycles for rendering the visual data. | {
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Closed deck engine blocks refer to engine blocks wherein an area between an outer surface of a cylinder bore and an outer surface of a space defining a water jacket that surrounds the outer surface of the cylinder bore are bridged or connected with supporting material to enhance the stability of the cylinder bore during combustion. In contrast, open deck engine blocks refer to engine blocks where the cylinder bores are not supported.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,820,389; which is hereby incorporated herein in entirety by reference; discloses a method for high pressure die casting of an engine block assembly having at least one cast in place cylinder bore in the engine block, and a closed head deck surface. In the disclosed method, an outer upper surface of at least one cast in place cylinder bore is surrounded with a salt core to create a composite core. The salt core defines the water jacket. The composite core is placed into a high pressure die casting mold for a closed deck engine block and an engine block alloy is injected into the mold. The cast engine block and composite core are removed from the high pressure die casting mold as a single engine block assembly and cooled. The salt portion of the composite core is dissolved. In certain embodiments, the salt core defines orifices in the closed head deck. The drawback of this method is that it requires that the cylinder bores be pre-cast and then cast into place using the composite core method. Another drawback is that there is difficulty in removing the large amount of salt used for the salt core.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,517 entitled “Method of producing salt cores for use in die casting” and also incorporated herein in entirety by reference, describes a method of producing salt cores for use in traditional die casting (not high pressure) by means of an evaporative foam pattern held in place with sand.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,948 entitled “Disintegrative Core for use in use in Die Casting of Metallic Components” and incorporated herein in entirety by reference details the manufacture of salt cores with a vent opening to allow gases to pass inward through the body of the salt core and away from the salt core's outer surface. This salt core technology is used in traditional die casting to produce engine blocks and engine head decks.
However, the high pressure die casting method traditionally has been limited. The use of sand cores made from sand molded within a geometric cavity and held together with an organic binder remain confined to use in low pressure and sand casting methods due to the fragile nature of the core body. Likewise, salt cores are often too fragile to withstand the influx of pressurized molten metal while retaining their necessary shape. Particularly, the intricacies of the head decks of engine blocks are problematic to cast with high pressure die casting because of tight tolerances between cylinder bores and the water cooling jackets surrounding the cylinder bores, which generally require sand or salt core technology. Such engine head decks are even more problematic when the casting requires a closed deck where only a selected area is open to the water cooling jacket area. Closed deck engine blocks are characterized by a water jacket that is substantially closed at the top portion of the engine block, with the exception of any relatively small passages that may be present to facilitate core support, transmit gas during casting, or for creating cooling water passages to the cylinder head of the engine assembly. This closed deck design provides increased cylinder bore rigidity by adding support to the cylinder bore by bridging the cylinder bore to a water jacket wall with an integrated casting component, i.e. closing the head deck.
Thus, the water cooling passages of open deck high pressure die cast aluminum engine blocks are currently produced such that the combustion cylinders are formed using metallic cores on the inner diameter and outer diameter that leaves the cylinder walls free-standing, i.e. an open deck. This condition does not provide good structural strength to the cylinder in operation due to the high levels of stress caused during combustion, compression, and thermal stresses during engine operation. Specifically, the lack of head deck bridges in a high pressure die cast block does not provide solid support of the cylinder in operation. Moreover, the water jackets of open deck type engine blocks have to be sealed during the cylinder head assembly. This sealing process is generally very fault-prone and involved. Because of these drawbacks, large displacement aluminum engine blocks having high mechanical and thermal stress loads have not typically been produced using high pressure die casting.
While a closed deck engine block affords significantly greater load support, the prior art was limited in its ability to produce the optimum water jacket cooling passage geometry combined with the desired structural rigidity of a closed deck engine block. In that regard, U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,073 is also directed to a “Composite Core for Casting Metallic Objects” The patent details the manufacture of a salt core using a metallic arbor to provide structural support. These cores are produced using high pressure die casting and molten salt surrounding an aluminum arbor. The rigid nature of the internal arbor provides structural stability necessary for the forces of molten metal put upon the core during high pressure casting processes. The salt/aluminum core are subsequently placed in a high pressure die casting die and an aluminum engine “head” is cast around it. After casting, the salt core is dissolved by flushing with water and the aluminum arbor is extracted, leaving a cored cavity in place of the salt core. However, the arbor support is inadequate for the casting of closed deck engine blocks because the nature of the closed deck prevents the arbor from being removed. Conversely, without using an arbor as described in the '073 patent, a salt core is too fragile to withstand the high pressure die casting forces.
One closed head deck solution is Ford Global Technologies, LLC U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,505 entitled “Cylinder block and die-casting method for producing same”. This patent details the production of high pressure die cast engine blocks with a closed deck water jacket by means of die core opening on the exterior surfaces of the engine block casting. However, the water jacket is open towards the engine block core requiring covers to be added to seal the water jacket with bolts. Thus, the water jacket is not fully closed when cast, nor is the engine block a unitary casting. This non-unitary casting and cover requirement adds additional steps to the manufacturing process and creates a risk of leaks that would not be present should the closed deck water jackets be a unitary casting.
Applicants are also aware of prototype cores and engine blocks produced by Buhler Die Casting Machinery of Germany and VW Automotive of Germany. Buhler developed a salt core for placement in a high pressure die cast die to form simple shape cored passages for water jacket cooling and a fully closed head deck. The cores are placed into the die and located with through-wall hole details that extend into the die. The engine block and cylinders are then cast using a hypereutectic aluminum silicon alloy. The inside of the cylinder wall is formed with a retractable, cylindrical, water-cooled tool steel core. The outer wall of the cylinder is formed by the salt core. After casting, the salt core is washed from the casting leaving the water cooling jacket passage open under the closed head deck of the block. However, since the salt core is fragile and unsupported, the prototypes have been relatively unsuccessful in that the salt cores fail during casting creating an unacceptable number of blocks that must be scrapped.
Accordingly, prior to the present invention, tooling and manufacturing trade-off decisions based the design stresses of the engine and the capability of the existing technology. Manufacturers were limited in their ability to produce the optimum water jacket cooling passage geometry while maintaining the desired structural rigidity of a closed deck engine block, particularly using the more efficient high pressure die casting method. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention pertains to the art of permanent magnet (PM) AC synchronous machines, and more particularly, to a system and method for determining rotor shaft position of a high voltage machine using auxiliary windings.
2. Background Art
There are a variety of known PM AC synchronous machines or motors on the market. One example of a known PM AC synchronous machine is depicted in FIG. 1. More specifically, FIG. 1 shows machine winding details as seen from an air gap, looking toward stator teeth 10 and winding slots, of a particular three phase prior art PM machine structure. The machine depicted is a 48 pole machine with two similar sets of three concentrated phase windings per pole pair. This type of machine construction is referred to as a ½ slot per pole per phase fractional slot winding machine. Thus the 48 pole machine has 72 stator teeth/slots. The windings 12 are said to be concentrated because each winding coil 12 is wrapped around a single tooth 10. There are two sets of 3-phase windings allowing for two 3-phase power electronic drives to power/control the machine. All phase A coil windings 12 in either winding set are connected in series such that the voltages induced by the rotor magnets in the phase A coils all “add” algebraically. The connections for the phase B and phase C coil windings are similar, all in series connection. For this particular machine the individual coils of the main or “power” windings, those with their external terminals connected to the power electronic drive, are wound with Nt=180 turns per coil 12. Each phase of either winding set then has twelve (12) series connected coils, for a total series number of turns of 2160 turns per phase. This high value of turns per phase is due to the fact that this particular machine is intended for high voltage operation, with thousands of volts between the phase winding sets. Note that the designations of α and β in FIG. 1 are used for identification purposes only, and these designations are not to be confused with reference to the use of Greek characters in the mathematical relationships described in the method of the present invention. FIG. 2 depicts a partial cross sectional view of the prior art machine of FIG. 1. More specifically, FIG. 2 shows stator teeth 10 extending from a stator lamination stack 14.
Standard operation of a PM AC synchronous machine requires that the machine stator winding currents must be time and spatially synchronized (in-phase) with the rotating position of the multi-pole magnets in the rotor structure. In essence, the multi-pole magnetic fields in the machine air gap due to the currents in the stator phase windings must rotate synchronously with like multi-pole magnetic fields in the air gap due to the rotor magnets. Therefore to drive or control the stator currents to obtain synchronous operation one must be able to determine instantaneous rotor position information. There are many ways to obtain rotor position information in a PM AC synchronous machine, but the most rugged and desirable measuring systems to obtain this information, particularly in harsh environments, do not utilize mechanical or optical measuring subsystems, rather, only simple voltage and current measuring instruments or transducers are employed. Such measurement and position sensing systems are commonly termed “sensorless” systems, even though they do utilize voltage and current “sensors.”
It is well known in the electrical practice (see for example the textbook of Peter Vas, “Sensorless Vector and Direct Torque Control,” Oxford University Press, 1998, particularly Section 3.1.3.2, pages 124 through 136) that the shaft position (the instantaneous rotor angle) of a multiphase PM AC synchronous machine can be determined by: 1) measuring the machine stator terminal voltages; 2) subtracting off winding resistive voltage components; 3) integrating the resultant voltages to obtain winding flux linkages; 4) forming equivalent two-phase winding flux linkages that are in time quadrature to each other; and 5) subtracting off equivalent two-phase winding inductive flux linkage components due to the equivalent two-phase stator winding currents.The resultant set of two flux linkages, after operations 1) through 5), are in time quadrature to each other (sine and cosine function like time variation) and, more importantly, are the equivalent two-phase stator winding flux linkages due solely to the rotating array of rotor mounted magnets. Therefore the time variations of these two flux linkages, here referred to as psim_alpha and psim_beta, which vary in sine and cosine function fashion, as functions of the instantaneous rotor angular position, directly indicate the angular position of the set of rotor magnets. That is, if theta m is the mechanical angular measure of the rotor with respect to a fixed point on the stator air gap surface, the variation of flux linkages psim_alpha and psim_beta will be in proportion to the functions sin(np*(theta_m+theta_mo)/2) and cos(np*(theta_m+theta_mo)/2), where np is the number of magnetic poles of the rotor structure and theta_o is a fixed angle offset determined by the reference point for theta_m on the stator air gap surface. One can determine theta_mo by inspection from the placement of the particular stator winding phase coils in the stator structure. For example it is common to assign the rotor mechanical position theta_m reference (value=0.0) as the angle at which the flux linkage due to the rotor magnets is maximum and positive in the a-phase set of stator coils. The flux linkage fundamental sinusoidal function component, due to the rotor magnets, then varies for the a-phase set of rotor windings as psim_a=M*cos(np*theta_m/2), where M is the peak magnitude of the coupled flux linkages (measured in Weber-turns). The flux linkages due to the rotor magnets in the other phase windings of the machine then follow in phase sequence, separated in angular variation by the angle np*delta_theta/2, where delta_theta is the mechanical angle between adjacent phase windings in the stator structure. If one can then extract the angular variation of the flux linkages due to the rotor magnets, then the angular variation of the rotor itself is then determined. This extraction process is best done not on the phase flux linkages themselves, but rather on the calculated equivalent two-phase flux linkages psim_alpha and psim_beta, which can take advantage of their true phase quadrature nature and a simple phase locked loop system which filters out measurement noise (from measurements of the phase winding currents and terminal voltages). As mentioned, the basic theory and practice of this method, or close variations of this method, for rotor angle estimation are well known in the art.
The rotor angle estimation system described above is hard, or at best expensive, to implement for very high voltage machines. Direct measurements of magnitudes and phases of very high voltages (thousands of volts) at machine terminals are not trivial. Even tapped coil voltage measurements are not trivial due to very high common mode voltages with reference to low voltage signal processing electronics. But it is still desirable to be able to utilize the rotor position estimation scheme described above even for very high voltage machines. Therefore, there is seen to be a need in the art for new systems and methods to indirectly determine the required high voltage coil flux linkages | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to collapsible or knock-down stand assemblies that support free-standing objects in a generally vertical orientation such as cooking pots, Christmas trees, flag poles, sign posts, display racks, and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to collapsible or knock-down support stand assemblies for outdoor cooking burners for cooking pots or for other vertically oriented items wherein support assembly components slidingly fit together without tools.
2. Background Description
Collapsible or knock-down burner or stove support stands and stand assemblies for Christmas trees, flag poles, sign posts, and display racks are known. Some are separable into individual sections, others are foldable into a storage position, and others are partially separable and foldable. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,454,859; 4,508,095; 4,726,350; 5,236,167; and 6,102,027 exemplify such stand assemblies wherein their various parts break down into sections that may be separately stowed in storage and/or carried while camping and hiking.
Of particular interest are commercially available outdoor cookers that include a metallic frame that supports a burner nozzle, such as a cast iron burner nozzle. Such burner nozzles are commercially available and are used to fire most natural gas-fired hot water heaters. Examples of these prior art outdoor cooking devices are shown in U.S. patents that relate to burners and related cooking containers for boiling, steaming, or deep fat frying food items such as a whole turkey or chicken. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,065,735; 5,813,321; 5,970,852; and 6,058,830 feature different primary burner assembly structures that elevate burner frames for supporting such cooking containers.
A disadvantage of these commercially available outdoor cookers that use gas such as propane or butane for heating the large pots filled with heavy cooking fluid is the amount of space required to store them when not in use. Foldable fuel cookers as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,177,790; 5,117,808; and 5,884,553 each have three support members that include a leg section that rests on a support surface and an upper pot supporting section for bearing a cooking pot. At least two of the support members are pivotally mounted to a hub member or the outer surface of a burner pipe. These prior art burners are designed to be carried on camping and hiking trips and are not particularly useful in supporting such large cooking pots that might easily tip over when resting on the pivotally mounted leg members.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,706,609; 5,482,245; and Des. 342,694 disclose cylindrical sleeve portions that are rotatable with respect to each other and have leg members disposed on the outer surface of an inner sleeve portion. The outer portion includes downwardly directed recesses into which end sections of a leg member or tree positioning eye bolts fit to preclude rotation of the assembled legs and cylinders with respect to each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,052 discloses a collapsible stand having two sets of opposed legs extending radially from a tubular hub support. The stand collapses or sets up by rotating one set of legs relative to the other set of legs about the hub support until the legs are at 90° to each other. Each leg includes an elongated rod folded back on itself to present vertically spaced inner ends that are secured to discs mounted on the hub support. An outer center portion of the back-folded rod engages the floor and serves as a foot for the stand. The inner ends of the legs are sandwiched between a pair of discs movably and rotatably mounted on the tubular hub support. Two pairs of locking tabs extend upwardly from each lower disc with each pair of tabs being spaced apart to define a leg receiving slot therebetween. The inner ends of the legs are each disposed between a pair of tabs to provide a firm and stable support. The resiliency of the back-folded rods of the inner support element urges the rod ends into the slots between the tabs, and squeezing of the inner ends of the rods shifts them from the leg receiving slots to allow collapsing of the legs to positions adjacent each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,437 discloses a support base for a display rack that knocks-down easily for compact shipment and storage without sacrifice of strength and durability when assembled for use. The parts fit together without the need for tools and a single locking set screw requires tightening. A hub section includes two sleeves having opposed leg members welded to their outer surfaces. The sleeves may be rotated with the legs stored in a folded position or completely separated into two sleeve and leg sections. The double telescoping sleeve arrangement imparts strength and stability to the support base.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,866 discloses a support stand having two sets of opposed legs extending radially from a hollow sleeve hub support, and collapses to a closed position where adjacent legs are substantially parallel from an open position where adjacent legs are substantially perpendicular to one another. A pair of opposed legs form an integral unit with a hollow cylindrical center joining the two legs. Upper and lower circular collars fit about upper and lower ends of the cylinder and caps hold the circular collars in place and secure the stand while allowing pivotal movement to the closed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,512 discloses a collapsible support frame including an inner tube, an outer tube, and a plurality of support legs fastened to the inner and outer tubes. The inner tube rotatably fits into the outer tube so that folding and unfolding of the support legs are attained by rotating the inner tube. A leg end section is disposed in an L-shaped groove and when lifting the inner tube to be rotated, the groove allows the leg end to come into its circumferential section. The inner tube has a hollow interior for holding a Christmas tree, a flag pole, and the like. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a processing composition for silver halide color photographic light-sensitive materials, more specifically, the present invention relates to a composition having an excellent function of reducing staining ascribable to residual sensitizing dyes in the processed light-sensitive material.
2. Description of the Related Art
With remarkable progress of digital camera and color printer, the processing of a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material is demanded to quickly provide a high-quality image to users. However, since mere shortening of the processing time in conventional methods results in the completion of processing before sensitizing dyes in the light-sensitive material are thoroughly washed out, the highlight part or background part in the white portion of a color print is colored by a large amount of residual sensitizing dyes and the product cannot endure the viewing. In the case of a color negative film, the density in the minimum density part increases, whereby the color balance is lost and an appropriate print cannot be provided.
In recent years, use of silver halide tabular grains is an important basic technique in the preparation of a high-sensitivity light-sensitive material for photographing. This technique is advantageous in that since the amount of sensitizing dyes used per unit volume can be increased, the sensitivity and the sensitivity-graininess ratio are improved, but it has a problem that the amount of sensitizing dyes remaining in the processed light-sensitive material increases. Depending on the processing conditions, the increase in the amount of residual sensitizing dyes cannot be ignored and this causes a phenomenon such as lost of color balance due to increase in the density in the minimum density part of a color negative film or coloration of the highlight part of a color reversal film.
Research Disclosure, No. 20733 discloses a method of using a bistriazinylaminostilbene disulfonic acid compound as one example of the method for removing the residual color ascribable to sensitizing dyes. This method is widely used in the processing of color photographic light-sensitive materials. JP-A-6-329936 (the term xe2x80x9cJP-Axe2x80x9d as used herein means an xe2x80x9cunexamined published patent applicationxe2x80x9d) also discloses a bistriazinylaminostilbene disulfonic acid compound having excellent solubility and capable of reducing the residual color even in the processing shortened in the processing time.
Along with this quick processing of a photographic light-sensitive material, it is also demanded to reduce or maximally recycle the waste containers of processing agents or to more concentrate the processing compositions so as to reduce the cost for transportation or storage of the processing agents or processing chemicals. Accordingly, the additives used for the purpose of reducing the residual color must be suited for this concentration. However, a compound having an effect of reducing the residual color and capable of stably dissolving even in the state concentrated to a high salt concentration and satisfactorily providing the effect even in the processing reduced in the processing time has not yet been found out.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems in the techniques of the related art and provide a processing composition for silver halide color photographic light-sensitive materials, which can reduce the staining ascribable to the residual sensitizing dyes in the processed light-sensitive material and can be free of deposition of precipitates during the low-temperature storage of the processing composition.
The object of the present invention can be attained by the following inventions.
(1) A processing composition for silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials, comprising a compound represented by the following formula (I):
wherein R11, R12, R13, R14, R21, R22, R23 and R24 each represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, L represents a phenylene group or a naphthylene group, and the pairs R11 and R12, R13 and R14, R21 and R22, and R23 and R24 each may be combined with each other to form a ring, provided that at least one group represented by xe2x80x94SO3K, xe2x80x94CO2M or xe2x80x94OH (wherein M represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, ammonium or pyridinium) is contained within the molecule, that the case where three or more of R11, R12, R13, R14, R21, R22, R23 and R24 R11, R12, R13, R14, R21, R22, R23 and R24 are an aryl group and the case where at least one of R11, R12, R13 and R14 and at least one of R21, R22, R23 and R24 are combined with each other to form a ring are excluded, and that a group represented by xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90Nxe2x80x940 is not contained within the molecule
(2) An image formation method comprising using the processing composition for silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials described in (1).
(3) A compound represented by the following formula (I):
wherein R11, R12, R13, R14, R21, R22, R23 and R24 each represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, L represents a phenylene group or a naphthylene group, and the pairs R11 and R12, R13 and R14, R21 and R22, and R23 and R24 each may be combined with each other to form a ring, provided that at least one group represented by xe2x80x94SO3M, xe2x80x94CO2M or xe2x80x94OH (wherein X represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, ammonium or pyridinium) is contained within the molecule, that the case where three or more of R11, R12, R13, R14, R21, R22, R23 and R24 are an aryl group and the case where at least one of R11, R12, R13 and R14 and at least one of R21, R22, R23 and R24 are combined with each other to form a ring are excluded, and that a group represented by xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90Nxe2x80x940 is not contained within the molecule.
The above-described compound of the present invention not only affords the means for attaining the object of the present invention but also has the following excellent properties. The compound of the present invention does not emit fluorescence and therefore, when used in combination with a bis(triazinylamino)stilbene disulfonic acid compound in the processing of a color print material, the fluorescent brightness and reduction in staining ascribable to sensitizing dyes can be independently controlled. Accordingly, the compound of the present invention can be preferably used in the processing of a color negative film or a color reversal film, where the processed light-sensitive material is not required to have fluorescent brightness. Furthermore, since the compound of the present invention is highly stable in the bleach-fixing composition or fixing composition as compared with the bis(triazinylamino)stilbene disulfonic acid compound and free of any deterioration in aging, so that stable processing performance can be maintained irrelevantly to the fluctuation in the processing amount per day or processing operation conditions.
The compound of formula (I) is described in detail below. The alkyl group represented by R11, R12, R13, R14, R21, R22, R23 and R24 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group hating from 1 to 20, preferably from 1 to 8, more preferably from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and examples thereof include a methyl group, an ethyl group, an i-propyl group, an n-propyl group, an n-octyl group, a sulfomethyl group, a 2-hydroxyethyl group, a 3-hydroxpropyl group, a 2-hydroxypropyl group, a 2-sulfoethyl group, a 2-methoxyethyl group, a 2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl group, a 2-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethyl group, a 2-(2-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethoxy)ethyl group, a 2,3-dihydroxypropyl group, a 3,4-dihydroxybutyl group and 2,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexyl group.
The aryl group represented by R11, R12, R13, R14, R21, R22, R23 and R24 is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having from 6 to 20, preferably from 6 to 10, more preferably from 6 to 8 carbon atoms and examples thereof include a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, a 3-carboxyphenyl group, a 4-carboxyphenyl group, a 3,5-dicarboxyphenyl group, a 4-methoxyphenyl group, a 2-sulfophenyl group and a 4-sulfophenyl group. The heterocyclic group represented by R11, R12, R13, R14, R21, R22, R23 and R24 is a monovalent group resulting from excluding one hydrogen atom from a substituted or unsubstituted 5- or 6-membered aromatic or nonaromatic heterocyclic compound having from 2 to 20, preferably from 2 to 10, more preferably from 3 to 8 carbon atoms and examples thereof include a 2-furyl group, a 2-thienyl group, a 2-pyrimidinyl group and a 2-benzothiazolyl group.
R11, R12, R13, R14 R21, R22, R23 and R24 each is preferably a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aryl group, more preferably a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, an ethyl group, an n-propyl group, a sulfomethyl group, a 2-hydroxyethyl group, a 3-hydroxypropyl group, a 2-hydroxypropyl group, a 2-sulfoethyl group, a 2-methoxyethyl group, 2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl group, a 2-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethyl group, a 2,3-dihydroxypropyl group, a 3,4-dihydroxybutyl group, a phenyl group, a 3-carboxyphenyl group, a 4-carboxyphenyl group, a 3,5-dicarboxyphenyl group, a 4-methoxyphenyl group, a 2-sulfophenyl group or a 4-sulfophenyl group, still more preferably a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, an ethyl group, a sulfomethyl group, a 2-hydroxyethyl group, a 2-sulfoethyl group, a 2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl group, a 2,3-dihydroxypropyl group, a phenyl group, a 3-carboxyphenyl group, a 4-carboxyphenyl group, a 2-sulfophenyl group or a 4-sulfophenyl group, particularly preferably a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, a sulfomethyl group, a 2-hydroxyethyl group, a 2-sulfoethyl group, a 2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl group, a 2,3-dihydroxypropyl group, a phenyl group or a 4-sulfophenyl group.
The phenylene group or naphthylene group represented by L is a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene or naphthylene group having from 6 to 20, preferably from 6 to 15, more preferably from 6 to 11 carbon atoms and examples thereof include 1,4-phenylene, 1,3-phenylene, 1,2phenylene, 1,5-naphthylene, 1,8-naphthylene, 4-carboxy-1,2-phenylene, 5-carboxy-1,3-phenylene, 3-sulfo-1,4-phenylene, 5-sulfo-1,3-phenylene, 2,5-dimethoxy-1,4-phenylene and 2,6-dichloro-1,4-phenylene.
L is preferably 1,4-phenylene, 1,3-phenylene, 1,2-phenylene, 1,5-naphthylene, 5-carboxy-1,3-phenylene or 5-sulfo-1,3-phenylene, more preferably 1,4-phenylene or 1,3-phenylene.
The ring formed by each pair R11 and R12, R13 and R14, R21 and R22, or R23 and R24 combined with each other is preferably a 5- or 6-membered ring. Examples of the ring include a pyrrolidine ring, a piperidine ring, a piperazine ring and a morpholine ring.
Among alkali metals and alkaline earth metals represented by M, preferred are Na and K. Examples of the ammonium group include an ammonium group, a triethylammonium group and a tetrabutylammoninm group. M is most preferably Na of K.
The compound of the present invention may contains at least one group represented by xe2x80x94SO3M, xe2x80x94CO2M or xe2x80x94OH in the molecule, at the terminal of R11, R12, R13, R14, R21, R22, R23 or R24, or on the phenylene or naphthylene group of L.
Specific examples of the compound of the present invention are set forth below, however, the present invention is not limited thereto.
The compound represented by formula (I) can be synthesized by referring, for example, to Hirotsugu Matsui, Yuki Gosei Kagaku Kyokai Shi (Journal of Organic Synthetic Chemistry Association), Vol. 17, page 528 (1959) and Japanese Patent No. 2,618,748. More specifically, a method of reacting cyanuric chloride with a phenylenediamine derivative or a naphthalenediamine derivative and subsequently with an amine is preferred. A method of reacting the phenylenediamine derivative or naphthalenediamine derivative through two stages or at the final stage is also preferred. Examples of the solvent used for this reaction include water and organic solvents such as alcohols, ketones, ethers and amides. Among these, water and water-soluble organic solvents are preferred. A mixed solvent thereof may also be used and among the mixed solvents, a mixed solvent of water and acetone is most preferred. Examples of the base used include organic bases such as triethylamine, pyridine and 1,8-diazabicyclo[5,4,0]-7-undecene, and inorganic bases such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium hydrogencarbonate and potassium hydrogencarbonate. Among these, inorganic bases are preferred and in particular, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate are more preferred. The reaction temperature is from xe2x88x9220 to 150xc2x0 C., preferably from xe2x88x9210 to 100xc2x0 C. To speak more specifically, the reaction temperature is preferably xe2x88x9210 to 10xc2x0 C. at the first stage, from 0 to 40xc2x0 C. at the second stage and from 40 to 100xc2x0 C. at the third stage.
Compound (A-2) of the present invention was synthesized through the synthesis reaction route shown below.
Synthesis of Compound 3
Into a three-neck flask, 37.6 g of Compound (1) and 280 ml of acetone were charged and while stirring in an ice-acetone bath, a solution containing 10.8 g of Compound (2) and 10 ml of acetone was added dropwise over 10 minutes while keeping the inner temperature at xe2x88x927 to 2xc2x0 C. After the completion of dropwise addition, a solution containing 10.6 g of sodium carbonate and 100 ml of water was added dropwise over 10 minutes. At this time, the inner temperature was from 2 to 7xc2x0 C. After the completion of dropwise addition, the ice-acetone bath was removed and stirring was continued for 30 minutes. The precipitated crystals were suction-filtered to obtain the objective Compound (3) as a crude product. This product was intactly used in the next step.
Synthesis of Compound 5
Into a three-neck flask, 25.0 g of Compound (4) and 250 ml of water were charged and while stirring, 21.2 g of sodium carbonate was added and dissolved. Subsequently, Compound (3) obtained above was added and the mixture was stirred at an inner temperature of 85xc2x0 C. for 5 hours. After the completion of stirring, the reaction solution was cooled to room temperature and the precipitated crystals were suction-filtered to obtain the objective Compound (5) as a crude product. This product was intactly used in the next step.
Synthesis of Compound A-2
Into a three-neck flask, Compound (5), 45.6 g of compound (5) and 200 ml of water were charged and the mixture was stirred at an inner temperature of 85xc2x0 C. for 10 hours. The reaction mixture was concentrated by a rotary evaporator and thereto, 500 ml of ethanol was added. The obtained crystals were suction-filtered to obtain 111.2 g of the objective Compound A-2. The purity of this compound was examined by liquid chromatography and found to be 64.5% (yield: 98%). The conditions for the liquid chromatography were as follows.
Column: TSK-gel ODS-80 TM (produced by Tosoh Corp.)
Eluent:
Solution A: obtained by adding 20 ml of PIC A reagent solution (produced by Waters) to 1 liter of water
Solution B: obtained by adding 20 ml of PIC A reagent solution (produced by Waters) to a mixed solution containing 800 ml of methanol and 200 ml of water.
Solution A/Solution B: changed in accordance with a gradient from 50/50 (0 min) to 0/100 (35 min)
Detection wavelength: 254 nm
The purity was determined by the peak area recorded on a chart under the above-described conditions.
Compound (A-3) of the present invention was synthesized through the synthesis reaction route shown below.
Synthesis of Compound 9
Into a three-neck flask, 37.6 g of Compound (1) and 280 ml of acetone were charged and the mixture was stirred in an ice-acetone bath. Thereto, a solution containing 25.0 g of Compound (4), 21.2 g of sodium carbonate and 250 ml of water was added dropwise over 15 minutes at an inner temperature of xe2x88x927 to xe2x88x922xc2x0 C. After the completion of dropwise addition, the ice-acetone bath was removed and stirring was continued in an ice-cooling bath for 30 minutes. Thereto, a solution obtained by dissolving 10.8 g of Compound (8) in 100 ml of acetone was added dropwise over 10 minutes and subsequently, a solution obtained by dissolving 10.6 g of sodium carbonate in 30 ml of water was added dropwise over 5 minutes. Thereafter, the ice bath was removed and stirring was continued for 3 hours. The precipitated crystals were suction-filtered to obtain the objective Compound (9) as a crude product. This product was intactly used in the next step.
Synthesis of Compound A-3
Into a three-neck flask, Compound (9) obtained above, 45.6 g of Compound (6) and 200 ml of water were charged and after stirring at an inner temperature of 85xc2x0 C. for 5 hours, 150 ml of water was distilled off by a rotary evaporator. Thereto, 600 ml of methanol was added and the precipitated crystals were suction-filtered. After adding 50 ml of water, the crystals were dissolved under heating and thereto, 600 ml of methanol was added. The precipitated crystals were suction-filtered to obtain 89.0 g of the objective Compound A-3. The purity of this compound was examined by liquid chromatography and found to be 58.0% (yield: 71%). The conditions for the liquid chromatography were the same as those in Synthesis Example 1.
Compound (A-23) of the present invention was synthesized through the synthesis reaction route shown below.
Synthesis of Compound 12
Into a three-neck flask, 37.6 g of Compound (1) and 280 ml of acetone were charged and the mixture was stirred in an ice-acetone bath. Thereto, a solution containing 21.0 g of Compound (10), 10.6 g of sodium carbonate and 250 ml of water was added dropwise over 15 minutes while keeping the inner temperature at xe2x88x927 to 0xc2x0 C. After the completion of dropwise addition, the ice-acetone bath was removed and stirring was continued in an ice-cooling bath for 30 minutes. Thereto, a solution obtained by dissolving 18.2 g of Compound (6) in 100 ml of acetone was added dropwise over 10 minutes and subsequently, a solution obtained by dissolving 10.6 g of sodium carbonate in 30 ml of water was added dropwise over 5 minutes. Thereafter, the ice bath was removed and stirring was continued for 3 hours. The precipitated crystals were suction-filtered to obtain the objective Compound (12) as a crude product. This product was intactly used in the next step.
Synthesis of Compound A-23
Into a three-neck flask, Compound (12) obtained above, 37.6 g of Compound (13) and 300 ml of water were charged and after stirring at an inner temperature of 85xc2x0 C. for 5 hours, 150 ml of water was distilled off by a rotary evaporator. Thereto, 600 ml of methanol was added and the precipitated crystals were suction-filtered. After adding 60 ml of water, the crystals were dissolved under heating and thereto, 600 ml of methanol was added. The precipitated crystals were suction-filtered to obtain 58.7 g of the objective Compound A-23. The purity of this compound was examined by liquid chromatography and found to be 72.0% (yield: 61%). The conditions for the liquid chromatography were the same as those in Synthesis Example 1.
In the case where the compound of the present invention has a plurality of asymmetric carbons, a plurality of stereoisomers is present for the same structure and the present invention includes all possible stereoisomers. Out of multiple stereoisomers, only one stereoisomer or a mixture of several stereoisomers may be used.
In the processing composition of the present invention, one compound represented by formula (I) may be used or a plurality of the compounds may be used in combination. The number of compounds and the kind of the processing composition into which the compound is incorporated may be freely selected. The compound of the present invention may also be used in combination with one or a plurality of bis(triazinylarino)stilbene disulfonic acid compounds). Also at this time, the number of compounds used and the kind of the processing solution into which the compound is incorporated may be freely selected.
The bis(triazinylamino)stilbene disulfonic acid compound used in combination with the compound of the present invention may be a known or commercially available diaminostilbene-base fluorescent brightening agent. Preferred examples of known bis(triazinylamino)stilbene disulfonic acid compounds include the compounds described in JP-A-6-329936, JP-A-7-140625 and JP-A-10-104809. Commercially available compounds are described, for example, in Senshoku Note (Dyeing Note), 19th ed., pp. 165-168, Sensyoku Sha. Among the products described therein, Blankophor BSUliq. REU and Hakkol BRK are preferred.
The compound of the present invention may be used in combination with a compound having a triazine ring other than bis (triazinylamino)stilbene disulfonic acid compounds in order to further improve solubility or residual color reduction effect. The compound having a triazine ring to be used in combination may be used singly or in combination. Examples of the compound having a triazine ring are set forth below, however, the present invention is not limited thereto.
The processing composition for use in the present invention is described in detail below. The processing composition for use in the present invention means a processing composition necessary for the processing in performing the image information of a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material. Specific examples thereof include a color developing composition, a bleaching composition, a bleach-fixing composition, a fixing composition, a water washing composition and a stabilizing composition. The processing solution may also be a black-and-white developing composition, a reversal composition or a pre-bleaching composition. These processing compositions may be prepared as a tank solution or a replenisher and may be prepared to have a concentration on use or as a concentrated solution. In the case of a concentrated solution, the processing composition of the present invention is mixed with water on use at a predetermined ratio and used as a replenisher or a tank solution. The compound of the present invention is characterized in that the composition formed in the state of a solution has excellent precipitation stability, however, the compound of the present invention may also be used for a processing solution in the granular, tablet, powder or slurry form.
The composition of the present invention may also be an additive composition. The term xe2x80x9cadditive compositionxe2x80x9d as used herein means a composition which is added to a tank solution or a replenisher necessary for the processing in performing the image formation of a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material before or during the processing and exerts a function of controlling the photographic performance.
In the processing composition of the present invention, the concentration of the compound of formula (I) is, in the case of a working solution, from 0.05 to 20 mmol/L, preferably from 0.15 to 15 mmol/L, more preferably from 0.2 to 10 mmol/L. In the case where the processing composition of the present invention is diluted with water or another processing composition and then used, the concentration in the processing composition is a value obtained by multiplying the concentration magnification by the concentration in a solution on use. The xe2x80x9cconcentration magnificationxe2x80x9d used herein means, as commonly used in the art, a ratio between the component concentration in the processing composition and the component concentration in the processing solution on use.
The concentration of the bis(triazinylamino)stilbene disulfonic acid compound may be, in the case of a working solution, from 0.05 to 20 mmol/L, preferably from 0.1 to 10 mmol/L, more preferably 0.2 to 10 =mmol/L. In the case where the processing composition of the present invention is diluted with water or another processing composition and then used, the concentration in the processing composition is a value obtained by multiplying the concentration magnification by the concentration in a solution on use.
The concentration of the compound having a triazine ring other than the bis(triazinylamino)stilbene disulfonic acid compound may be, in the case of a working solution, from 0.01 to 10 mmol/L, preferably from 0.05 to 5 mmol/L, more preferably 0.1 to 5 mmol/L. In the case where the processing composition of the present invention is diluted with water or another processing composition and then used, the concentration in the processing composition is a value obtained by multiplying the concentration magnification by the concentration in a solution on use.
In the image formation method of the present invention, at least one processing step uses the processing composition of the present invention. The present invention may be used in a plurality of steps or all steps.
The process for producing the processing composition of the present invention includes several methods but good results may be obtained by the following three processes. In the practice of the present invention, the production process is, however, not limited to these three processes.
Process A
A process of previously introducing a small amount of water into a mixing tank and sequentially charging constituent chemicals thereinto while stirring.
Process B
A process of previously mixing constituent chemicals in a mixing tank and charging a small amount of water en bloc.
Process C
A process of previously classifying the constituent chemicals into appropriate groups, dissolving each group in water or a hydrophilic organic solvent to form a concentrated solution and mixing respective concentrated solutions.
A production process partially employing these processes may also be used.
The processing composition of the present invention may be a developing composition, a bleach-fixing composition, a fixing composition, a water washing or stabilizing composition or an additive composition and these processing compositions are described below one by one.
The color developing composition of the present invention contains a color developing agent and the color developing agent is preferably a known aromatic primary amine color developing agent, more preferably a p-phenylenediamine derivative. Typical examples thereof are set forth below, however, the present invention is not limited thereto. Recently, in some black-and-white light-sensitive materials, a coupler is added to form a black color and a black-and-white image is formed using a general purpose color developing solution. The processing composition of the present invention can also be applied to such light-sensitive materials.
1) N,N-Diethyl-p-phenylenediamine
2) 4-Amino-N,N-diethyl-3-methylaniline
3) 4-Amino-N-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl) N-methylaniline
4) 4-Amino-N-ethyl-N-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl)aniline
5) 4-Amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl)aniline
6) 4-Amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N-(3-hydroxypropyl)aniline
7) 4-Amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)aniline
8) 4-Amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N-(xcex2-methanesulfonamidoethyl)aniline
9) 4-Amino-N,N-diethyl-3-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl)aniline
10) 4-Amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N-(xcex2-methoxyethyl)aniline
11) 4-Amino-3-methyl-N-(xcex2-ethoxyethyl)-N-ethylaniline
12) 4-Amino-3-methyl-N-(3-carbamoylpropyl)-N-n-propylaniline
13) 4-Amino-3-methyl-N-(4-carbarmoylbutyl)-N-n-propylaniline
14) N-(4-Amino-3-methylphenyl)-3-hydroxypyrrolidine
15) N-(4-Amino-3-methylphenyl)-3-hydroxymethylpyrrolidine
16) N-(4-Amino-3-methylphenyl)-3-pyrrolidinecarboxamide
Among these p-phenylenediamine derivatives, Compounds 5) to 8) and 12) are preferred, and Compounds 5) and 8) are more preferred. These p-phenylenediamine derivatives in the state of a solid are usually a sulfate, a hydrochloride, a p-toluenesulfonate, a naphthalenedisulfonate or an N,N-bis(sulfonatoethyl)hydroxylamine. These derivatives may also be added as a free form having no counter salt. The concentration of the aromatic primary amine developing agent is from 4 to 100 mmol/L, preferably from 6 to 50 mmol/L, more preferably from 8 to 25 mmol/L, in the solution on use.
The color developer of the present invention may contain a compound capable of preventing the precipitation of color developing agent and examples thereof include polyethylene glycols, arylsulfonic acids, alkylsulfonic acids and urea compounds described in JP-A-11-174643. Among these, diethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol 300, p-toluenesulfonic acid and salts thereof, a linear alkylsulfonic acid having from 5 to 9 carbon atoms and salts thereof, and ethylene urea are preferred, because these scarcely affect the photographic properties and exhibit good effect.
The color developing composition of the present invention preferably contains a compound capable of preventing the color developing agent from deterioration due to air oxidation, namely, a preservative. Sulfite and hydroxylamine are preferred as the inorganic preservative. Such an inorganic preservative exhibits an extremely high preservation activity and is preferably used in combination with an organic preservative. Depending on the light-sensitive material to be processed, sulfite and hydroxylamine sometimes adversely affect the photographic properties during the process of color development and therefore, in some cases, only either one is used or these are not substantially contained but only an organic preservative is used.
Examples of effective organic preservatives include hydroxyamine derivatives, hydroxamic acids, hydrazides, phenols, xcex1-hydroxyketones, xcex1-aminoketones, saccharides, monoamines, diamines, polyamines, quaternary ammonium salts, nitroxyl radicals, alcohols, oximes, diamides, condensed cyclic amines, cyclic amides, salicylic acids, polyethyleneimines, alkanolamines and aromatic polyhydroxy compounds. Among these organic preservatives, hydroxylamine derivatives described in JP-A-3-56456 and JP-A-3-33845, and compounds described in JP-A-3-33846 and JP-A-6-148841 are preferred.
The hydroxylamine derivative is preferably used in combination with an alkanolamine from the standpoint of improving the stability of color developer in the continuous processing. Examples of the compound with which the hydroxylamine is preferably used in combination include triisopropanolamine and triethanolamine. A combination use with a cyclic amide compound is also preferred and among the cyclic amide compounds, xcex5-caprolactam is particularly preferred.
The pH of the color developing composition of the present invention is preferably from 9.5 to 13.5 and the color developer prepared therefrom is from 9.0 to 12.2, preferably from 9.9 to 11.2. In order to maintain the pH, a buffer is preferably added and the buffer is preferably a potassium or sodium salt of an inorganic salt such as carbonate, bicarbonate, phosphate, borate and tetraborate. Also, an organic compound such as 5-sulfosalicylic acid, xcex2-alanine, proline and trishydroxyaminomethane is preferably used, however, the present invention is not limited to these compounds. The buffer is incorporated to a concentration of 0.1 mol/L or more, preferably from 0.1 to 0.4 mol, in terms of a concentration of color developing replenisher.
The color developing composition of the present invention may contain various chelating agents as a precipitation inhibitor, such as calcium and magnesium. The chelating agents may be used individually or in combination of two or more. Preferred compounds therefor include nitrilotriacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, N,N,N-trimethylenephosphonic acid, ethylenediamine-N,N,Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2-tetramethylenesulfonic acid, ethylenediaminesuccinic acid (s,s form), 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid, 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-dihosphonic acid and 1,2-dihydroxybenzen-4,6-disulfonic acid. The chelating agent may be sufficient if it is added in an amount large enough to conceal metal ion in the color developer. The chelating agent is usually added to a concentration of approximately from 0.1 to 10 g/L.
If desired, an arbitrary development accelerator may be added to the color developing composition of the present invention. Examples of the development accelerator include polyalkylene oxide, 1-phenyl-3-pyrazolidones, alcohols and carboxylic acids.
In addition, an arbitrary antifoggant may be added to the color developing composition of the present invention. Examples of the antifoggant include metal halides such as potassium bromide and potassium iodide, and organic antifoggants represented by a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound. Examples of the organic antifoggant include benzotriazole, 6-nitrobenzimidazole, 5-nitroisoindazole, 5-methylbenzotriazole, 5-nitrobenzotriazole, 5-chlorobenzotriazole, 2-thiazolylbenzimidazole, 2-thiazolylmethylbenzimidazole, indazole, hydroxyazaindolidine and adenine. Other than these, an alkylcarboxylic acid, an arylcarboxylic acid or a saccharide may also be added, if desired.
In the color development applied to the present invention, the processing temperature is, in the case of a color print light-sensitive material, from 30 to 55xc2x0 C., preferably from 35 to 50xc2x0 C., more preferably from 38 to 45xc2x0 C. The developing time is from 5 to 90 seconds, preferably from 6 to 60 seconds, more preferably from 10 to 45 seconds. The replenishing amount, which is preferably smaller, is suitably from 15 to 200 mL, preferably from 20 to 120 mL, more preferably from 30 to 60 mL, per 1 m2 of the light-sensitive material.
In the case of a color negative film, the processing temperature is from 30 to 55xc2x0 C., preferably from 35 to 50xc2x0 C., more preferably from 38 to 45xc2x0 C. The developing time is from 45 seconds to 5 minutes, preferably from 60 seconds to 4 minutes, more preferably from 90 seconds to 3 minutes to 15 seconds. The replenishing amount, which is preferably smaller, is suitably from 10 to 200 mL, preferably from 12 to 60 mL, more preferably from 15 to 30 mL, per 1 roll of 24 exp.
In the case of a color reversal film, the processing temperature is from 32 to 45xc2x0 C., preferably from 35 to 40xc2x0 C., more preferably 36.5 to 39.5xc2x0 C. The developing time is from 4 to 8 minutes, preferably from 5 to 7 minutes more preferably from 5 minutes 30 seconds to 6 minutes 30 seconds. The replenishing amount, which is preferably smaller, is suitably from 1,000 to 3,000 mL, preferably from 1,500 to 2,800 mL, more preferably from 2,000 to 2,400 mL, per 1 m2 of the light-sensitive material.
The color developing composition obtained by concentrating the replenisher described in JP-A-11-174643, JP-A-11-194461 and JP-A-11-194462 is a preferred embodiment.
The bleaching agent for use in the bleaching composition and the bleach-fixing composition of the present invention may be a known bleaching agent but in particular, an organic complex salt (a complex salt of, for example, an aminopolycarboxylic acid or an organic acid such as citric acid, tartaric acid and malic acid), a persulfate and a hydrogenperoxide of iron(III) are preferred. Two or more bleaching agents may also be used in combination.
Among these, an organic complex salt of iron(III) is preferred in view of rapid processability and environmental antipollution. Examples of the aiminopolycarboxylic acid or a salt thereof useful for forming an organic complex salt of iron(III) include compounds such as biodegradable ethylenediaminesuccinic acid (ss-form), biodegradable N-2-carboxylatoethyl)-L-aspartic acid, biodegradable xcex2-alaninediacetic acid, biodegradable methyliminodiacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, 1,3-propylenediaminetetraacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid, iminodiacetic acid and glycol ether diaminetetraacetic acid. These compounds may be in the form of a sodium salt, a potassium salt, a lithium salt or an ammonium salt. Among these compounds, ethylenediaminesuccinic acid (s,s-form), N-(2-carboxylatoethyl)-L-aspartic acid, xcex2-alaninediacetic acid, methyliminodiacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid and 1,3-propylenediaminetetraacetic acid are preferred because their iron(III) complex salts provide good photographic properties. The ferric complex salt may be used in the complex salt form or a ferric ion complex salt may be formed from a ferric salt such as ferric sulfate, ferric chloride, ferric nitrate, ammonium ferric nitrate and ferric phosphate, using a chelating agent such as aminopolycarboxylic acid. The chelating agent may also be used in excess of the amount necessary for the formation of a ferric ion complex salt. The concentration of the bleaching agent in the bleaching or bleach-fixing solution is, in terms of a concentration in a solution on use, from 0.01 to 1.0 mol/L, preferably from 0.05 to 0.50 mol/L, more preferably from 0.1 to 0.5 mol/L.
A buffer is also preferably added to the bleaching or bleach-fixing solution. The buffer selected varies depending on the intended pH, however, preferred examples of the compound therefor include organic acids such as succinic acid, maleic acid, glycolic acid, malonic acid, fumaric acid, sulfosuccinic acid and acetic acid, organic bases such as imidazole and dimethylimidazole, and the compounds represented by formulae (A-a) and (B-b) of JP-A-9-211819. The amount of this compound added is preferably from 0.005 to 3.0 mol/L, more preferably from 0.05 to 1.5 mol/L, in a solution on use. The pH region of the bleaching solution is preferably from 2 to 7, more preferably from 3 to 6. In the case of the bleach-fixing solution, the pH is preferably from 3 to 8, more preferably from 4 to 7.
In the bleach-fixing of a color print light-sensitive material applied to the present invention, the processing temperature is from 30 to 55xc2x0 C., preferably from 35 to 50xc2x0 C., more preferably from 38 to 45xc2x0 C. The bleach-fixing time is from 5 to 90 seconds, preferably from 8 to 60 seconds, more preferably from 10 to 45 seconds. The replenishing amount, which is preferably smaller, is suitably from 20 to 200 mL, preferably from 25 to 120 mL, more preferably from 30 to 50 mL, per 1 m2 of the light-sensitive material.
In the bleaching of a color negative film, the processing temperature is from 30 to 55xc2x0 C., preferably from 35 to 50xc2x0 C., more preferably from 38 to 45xc2x0 C. The bleaching time is from 12 seconds to 2 minutes, preferably from 15 seconds to 1 minute and 15 seconds, more preferably from 18 to 60 seconds. The replenishing amount, which is preferably smaller, is suitably from 2.5 to 50 mL, preferably from 3 to 25 mL, more preferably from 4 to 12 mL, per 1 roll of 24 exp.
In the bleaching of a color reversal film, the processing temperature is from 30 to 45xc2x0 C., preferably from 33 to 40xc2x0 C., more preferably from 37 to 39xc2x0 C. The bleaching time is from 4 to 8 minutes, preferably from 5 to 7 minutes, more preferably from 5 minutes and 30 seconds to 6 minutes and 30 seconds. The replenishing amount, which is preferably smaller, is suitably from 160 to 400 mL, preferably from 180 to 300 mL, more preferably from 200 to 250 mL, per 1 m2 of the light-sensitive material.
The fixing agent for use in the bleach-fixing composition and the fixing composition of the present invention is a known fixing agent. Specific examples thereof include thiosulfates such as sodium thiosulfate and ammonium thiosulfate; thiocyanates such as sodium thiocyanate and ammonium thiocyanate; ethylenebisglycolic acid, 3,6-dithia-1,8-octanediol and thioether compounds described in JP-A-4-317055; thioureas; and water-soluble silver halide dissolving agents described in JP-A-4-143757 and JP-A-4-230749, such as mesoionic compound. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more thereof. The fixing agent is preferably a thiosulfate, more preferably ammonium thiosulfate. The concentration of the fixing gent in the fixing solution or bleach-fixing solution is preferably from 0.3 to 2 mol/L, more preferably from 0.5 to 1.5 mol/L.
The bleach-fixing composition or the fixing composition preferably contains a buffer. Preferred examples of the buffer include heterocyclic organic bases such as imidazole and dimethylimidazole, aminoalkylenesulfonic acid such as taurine, and dibasic acids such as succinic acid, maleic acid and malonic acid. The pH is preferably from 3 to 8, more preferably from 4 to 7.
The bleach-fixing composition and the fixing composition of the present invention preferably contain, as a preservative, a compound capable of releasing sulfite ion, namely, a sulfite, a bisulfite or a metabisulfite. This compound is preferably added in the form of a potassium salt, a sodium salt or an ammonium salt. Also, an arylsulfinic acid such as p-toluenesulfinic acid, m-carboxybenzenesulfinic acid and p-aminobenzenesulfinic acid, is preferably contained. Such a compound is preferably contained to a concentration of 0.02 to 1.0 mol/L in a solution on use. Other than those described above, an ascorbic acid, a carbonyl bisulfite adduct or a carbonyl compound may be added as the preservative.
The bleach-fixing composition and the fixing composition of the present invention may also contain a mercapto nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound capable of forming stable silver ion so as to improve the image preservability, such as mercaptotriazole, aminomercaptotriazole and N-methylmercaptoimidazole, or a bisamidine, a bisguanidine or a monoamidine described in JP-A-5-303185, which accelerates the washing out of developing agent. Other than these, a polymer such as polyethylene glycol or polyvinylpyrrolidone, a chelating agent, a defoaming agent, an antifungal and the like may be added, if desired, to the bleaching composition and the fixing composition of the present invention.
In the bleach-fixing of a color print light-sensitive material applied to the present invention, the processing temperature, the bleach-fixing time and the replenishing amount are the same as those described above. In the fixing of a color negative film, the processing temperature is from 30 to 55xc2x0 C., preferably from 35 to 50xc2x0 C., more preferably from 38 to 45xc2x0 C. The bleaching time is from 20 seconds to 2 minutes, preferably from 30 seconds to 1 minute and 40 seconds, more preferably from 35 seconds to 1 minute and 20 seconds. The replenishing amount, which is preferably smaller, is suitably from 4 to 60 mL, preferably from 5 to 40 mL, more preferably from 6 to 30 mL, per 1 roll of 24 exp.
In the fixing of a color reversal film, the processing temperature is from 30 to 45xc2x0 C., preferably from 33 to 40xc2x0 C., more preferably from 37 to 39xc2x0 C. The fixing time is from 2 to 6 minutes, preferably from 3 to 5 minutes, more preferably from 3 minutes and 30 seconds to 4 minutes and 30 seconds. The replenishing amount, which is preferably smaller, is suitably from 800 to 2,000 mL, preferably from 900 to 1,500 mL, more preferably from 1,000 to 1,250 mL.
The washing composition and the stabilizing composition of the present invention may contain formalin, formaldehyde, pyruvinaldehyde, a formaldehyde bisulfite adduct described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,779, or an N-methylol compound described in JP-A-5-34889, so as to inhibit discoloration of a dye and generation of staining, which are ascribable to the residual magenta coupler. Also, washing composition and the stabilizing composition of the present invention preferably contain an arylsulfinic acid such as p-toluenesulfinic acid, m-carboxybenzenesulfinic acid and p-aminobenzenesulfinic acid. Furthermore, a surfactant as a water-cutting agent, a chelating agent as a hard water-softening agent, a buffer for adjusting the pH, a defoaming agent, an antifungal, an antiseptic and the like may be added, if desired.
The pH is preferably from 4 to 10, more preferably from 5 to 8. The processing temperature may be variously selected according to the use and properties of the light-sensitive material, however, the processing temperature is generally from 20 to 50xc2x0 C., preferably from 25 to 45xc2x0 C.
The additive composition of the present invention preferably comprises the compound of the present invention and water, however, if desired, a water-soluble aliphatic compound, a bis(triazinylamino)stilbene disulfonic acid compound, a chelating agent, an inorganic salt and the like may be added. The water-soluble aliphatic compound is preferably a glycol such as diethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol 300 (average molecular weight; 300), or an alkanolamine such as triethanolamine and triisopropanolamine. In particular, diethylene glycol is preferred. The additive composition of the present invention can be added to any processing bath or replenisher which is considered necessary for the processing in performing the image formation of a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material. In the additive composition, the compound of the present invention is preferably concentrated and the concentration ratio to the working solution is from 50 to 4,000 magnifications, preferably from 100 to 2,000 magnifications, more preferably from 200 to 1,000 magnifications. One preferred embodiment is a method of adding the additive composition of the present invention to a fixing bath and/or a fixing replenisher in the color reversal processing, however, the present invention is not limited thereto.
Out of the photographic element which is processed using the present invention, the light-sensitive material may contain any normal silver halide such as silver chloride, silver bromide, silver bromoiodide, silver chlorobromide, silver chloroiodide and a mixture thereof. In one embodiment, the light-sensitive material of the photographic element is a high silver chloride light-sensitive material containing at least 50 mol % or more of silver chloride, preferably at least 90 mol % or more of silver chloride, and in many cases, this is used as a light-sensitive material for color print.
In another embodiment, at least one emulsion in the light-sensitive material mainly comprises silver bromide (at least 50 mol % of silver bromide). The photographic element most preferably has one or more color recording layer and each color recording layer comprises one or more silver halide emulsion, mainly silver bromide emulsion, as used in color negative film or color reversal film. The photographic element containing a light-sensitive material processed by practicing the present invention may be a nmonochromatic element or a multicolor element. The photographic element may also have a magnetic recording layer known in this technical field.
Individual photographic elements are described in detail, for example, in Research Disclosure (hereinafter simply referred to as xe2x80x9cRDxe2x80x9d), specifically, in RD 17643, pp. 23-27, RD18716, pp. 647-650, RD307105, pp. 866-868 and 873-879, and RD36544, pp. 501-541. These are related to useful (negative or positive) silver halide emulsions and preparation methods thereof, various sensitizers, dye-forming coupler, image dye stabilizer, dye, ultraviolet absorbent, filter, binder, hardening agent, plasticizer, lubricant, coating aid, surfactant, antistatic agent, matting agent, paper or film support, and various image formation methods of a negative or positive image-forming color element.
It is advantageous to construct the processing composition of the present invention in a form such that all components for the solution on use are contained in one composition, namely, a one-part structure. However, if it is not preferred to allow the constituent components to come into contact for a long period of time in the color developing composition, bleach-fixing composition or the like, the constituent components may be separated into two or more liquid agents or solid admixtures and the processing composition may be constructed to have a two-part or three-part structure. These processing agent structures are usually called a one-, two- or three-part structure according to the naming of International Standard IS05989 (Terms of Mixed Processing Agents). The effects and characteristic features of the invention are not lost even when the processing composition of the present invention is divided into parts. Among these structures, a one-part structure is particularly preferred for the color developing composition.
For the container of the processing composition of the present invention, a known material may be used. The container may be formed of a single material or a composite material, for example, a composite material comprising a material having high gas permeability and a material having high stability against alkali. In view of re-use or recycling, the container is preferably composed by a single construction material. Examples of the material used for the container include polyester resin, polyolefin resin, acrylic resin, ABS resin, epoxy resin, polyamide resin such as nylon, polyurethane resin, polystyrene resin, polycarbonate resin, PVA, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride and polyethylene resin. Among these, a container composed of a single material using a polyester resin such as polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate, or a polyolefin resin such as polyethylene and polypropylene, is preferred. In particular, the container material is more preferably a polyethylene resin and still more preferably a high-density polyethylene resin (HDPE).
Insofar as the processing composition is not affected, the container material for use in the present invention may contain carbon black, titanium white, a pigment, calcium carbonate, a plasticizer having compatibility with the material, and the like. The container material is preferably such that polyethylene occupies 85% or more in the material and a plasticizer is not contained, more preferably such that polyethylene occupies 95% or more and a plasticizer is not contained.
The shape and structure of the container into which the processing composition of the present invention is filled can be freely designed according to the purpose. In addition to a fixed form bottle, a freely shrinkable type described in JP-A-1-235950, a container with a flexible partition described in JP-A-62-134626, and the like may also be used. The container described in JP-A-11-282148 is particularly preferred as the container for the processing composition of the present invention in view of the capacity, space efficiency, self-sustained standing, shape retentivity and re-use/recycling property. A preferred embodiment is a kit where a plurality of compositions of the present invention are filled in containers having the same shape and shame volume and formed of a single constituent material and these containers are integrated into a single cartridge. Examples thereof include the cartridge described in JP-A-2000-3014. The combination of processing compositions in the cartridge can be freely selected. The cartridges described in JP-A-11-295858 and JP-A-11-288068, where a developing composition, a bleaching composition and a fixing composition are integrated, are a preferred embodiment.
The present invention is described in greater detail below by referring to the Examples, including the stability of the processing composition of the present invention against the deposition of precipitates and also the photographic properties. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited thereto. | {
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Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high-side gate drive circuit.
Description of the Background Art
A high voltage metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gate driver IC (HVIC) is a high-withstand voltage IC that directly drives a gate with an input signal, such as a microprocessor. The HVIC includes a high-side gate drive circuit that drives a high-voltage side (high-side) switching element and a low-side gate drive circuit that drives a low-voltage side (low-side) switching element.
The high-side gate drive circuit generates an on-pulse synchronized with the rising of a high-side input signal HIN and an off-pulse synchronized with the falling of the high-side input signal HIN. Levels of reference voltages for the on-pulse and the off-pulse are shifted from GND to a high voltage by high-withstand voltage level shift MOSFETs. The on-pulse and the off-pulse are then transmitted to a latch circuit in a high-voltage side logic circuit, and are output from an output circuit to the high-side switching element. In this way, a pulse width of a gate drive signal for the high-side switching element is determined.
Conventional high-side gate drive circuits have a problem that when a high-side switching element turns on or off, a voltage change dV/dt between a high-side floating power supply offset voltage VS and the ground GND becomes noise, preventing normal signal transmission to a high-voltage side.
A method of avoiding influence of noise by making periods of the on-pulse and the off-pulse longer than a noise period has been conventionally proposed for this problem. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-79131 proposes a method of avoiding influence of noise, by the on-pulse and the off-pulse each including a plurality of pulses having a predetermined period.
However, there is a problem that the on-pulse and the off-pulse having a period longer than the noise period will lead to increase in a loss made when a signal is transmitted to the high-side switching element. Also, when the on-pulse and the off-pulse each include a plurality of pulses, it is necessary to set the pulse period constant in advance, although the noise period varies depending on an operating environment of the high-side switching element. Therefore, in a case where the high-side input signal is a narrow-width pulse, signal transmission from the high-side input signal to the high-side switching element will be delayed excessively. Therefore, there is a problem that input of the narrow-width pulse is limited or dead time increases. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a gas lighter ignitable upon depression of an actuating means and, more particularly to a lighter with a safety device which remains deactivated by the engagement of a resilient member with an actuating means but can be activated by rendering the resilient member deformed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Though a gas lighter is a convenient tool which can easily be ignited by the depression of the service end of an actuating lever, it can be a safety hazard for those who, like children, are unfamiliar with the proper use of the lighter. In addition, the lighter may be ignited by the unintentional depression of the service end happenly upon contact with stuffs.
In response to the demands for a gas lighter which is improved in safety in such a manner that inadvertent ignition by those who are unfamiliar with the proper use of the lighter can surely be prevented and the unintentional ignition can be prevented, child resistant gas lighters with several types of safety devices have already been known. Most of the safety devices built into these child resistant gas lighters have a lock mechanism which prevents depression of the actuating lever and which must be released to allow the actuating lever to be depressed. However, any of the conventional-type child resistant gas lighters will have drawbacks in their usage and thus it is desirable that the gas lighter be improved for practical use.
For instance, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,859,172, 4,786,248, and 4,784,602 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3(1991)-35971, any one of the disclosed safety devices is provided with a lock member for deterring depression of the actuating lever. Since the lock member is manually movable between a locked position and a released position, the lock member tends to stay at the released position without a manual recovery from the released position to the initial position after the use of the lighter, whereby the safety device remains unlocked. Leaving the lock member at the released position permits the actuating lever to be depressed, rendering the safety device inoperable. Specifically then, to ensure safety, the existing safety devices always require a manual re-locking operation after the use of the lighter with the lock mechanism unlocked, and hence there were expected further improvements of the lock mechanism in terms of safety.
To solve the drawbacks set forth above, there have been proposed, as a safety device having a lock member to impede the depression of the actuating lever, safety devices with what is called an auto-return function wherein the lock member automatically returns to the locked position in response to the ignition operation after the lock member has been manually moved to the released position. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,002,482, and 3,898,031, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 3(1991)-25215, for instance, disclose such safety devices as having the autoreturn function which allows automatic return of the lock member to the locked position in response to the ignition operation. With these safety devices, however, releasing the lock mechanism is only achieved by the motion of a finger along an L-shaped path, thereby resulting in the lock mechanism being inferior, in terms of operability, in the ease of releasing the lock member such that a lighter of this type generally requires operation with a single finger, such as a thumb, thus leading to different results depending on the users. Therefore, safety devices of this type can be said to be disadvantageous in practical use. Further, the operation of these safety devices is unreliable because of a probability that the lock member will return to the locked position by its own reactive force which is due to the resilience of the material constituting the lock member.
Furthermore, there have been proposed safety devices wherein the lock member is released by the motion of a finger not along the L-shaped path, but along a simple linear path, but any of those have drawbacks in practical use. The safety device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication of Translated Version (PCT) No. 3(1991)-501647, for instance, is provided with an automatic return function wherein the part of a lock member being composed of a spring is moved along an arcuate path to the released position and held there, then it automatically returns to the locked position in response to the ignition operation. In this type of safety device, the arrangement for guiding the release of the spring-like lock member is not satisfactory, and accordingly the lock member cannot be steadily released. This adversely affects the ease of releasing the lock mechanism in the gas lighter, which is generally operated with a single finger, and, as with the preceding example, the resulting operations will be different depending on the users. Since the lock member itself is formed of a spring, the lock member may become deformed and cause failure of the lock mechanism after repeated use of the lighter.
In the safety device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,596, the lock member is moved to the released position along a linear path, but automatically returns to the initial position unless it is held at the locked position with a finger other than the one used for actuating the ignition mechanism. Thus, the lock member cannot steadily be released. This adversely affects the ease of releasing the lock mechanism in a gas lighter, which is generally operated with a single finger, e.g. the thumb, and, as with the preceding examples, leads to different operational results depending on the users.
In order to overcome such problems, there has been proposed an autoreturn safety device in which the lock member is moved along a linear path to the released position, thereby facilitating the release of the lock mechanism, and at the same time, the lock mechanism can be held in the released position with the finger which actuates the ignition mechanism, thus not requiring another finger. However, the safety device also has drawbacks in its practical use. That is, in the safety device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 1(1989)-178456, the lock member is incorporated in the actuating lever which is actuated to ignite the lighter and the actuating lever can be operated with use of the same finger that has been used in releasing the lock member, i.e. the thumb which is generally used in an ignition operation, thus facilitating the releasing operation. However, when the actuating lever is actuated with the same finger (usually the thumb) which previously moved the lock member to the released position, the lock member may inadvertently be released from the thumb and may return to the locked position. Accordingly, also in this safety device, the lock member cannot be steadily released. This adversely affects the ease of releasing the lock mechanism in the gas lighter, which is generally operated with a single finger, e.g. the thumb, and, as with the preceding examples, this leads to different operational results depending on the users.
As can be seen from the description above, any one of the existing child resistant safety devices has drawbacks in practical use, and hence there has been a demand for a child resistant safety device which is improved in both safety and operability.
Further, in manufacturing gas lighters with such a safety device, it is required to rationalize the assembling steps, to improve assembling accuracy, thereby further enhancing the handling of the safety device, and to reduce the manufacturing cost. | {
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A conventional bar feeding device is represented in FIGS. 1 to 5. It generally comprises: a base 1 extending lengthwise, a channel cover 4 extending lengthwise and rotatably connected to said base 1, a guiding member 7 comprising a guiding channel 8 extending lengthwise, a pusher flag 12, a chain 13 fastened to a first end of said pusher flag 12 and able to move it lengthwise, a push bar 9 able to move within said guiding channel 8 and fastened to a second end of said pusher flag 12.
With such a bar feeding device, as particularly visible in FIG. 5, there is a gap 20 between the channel cover 4 and the guiding member 7. This gap 20 extends lengthwise along the entire base 1 and it serves to allow the pusher flag 12 to pass between the channel cover 4 and the guiding member 7. However, small diameter bars can escape through it, which may lead to damages to the bars themselves, the pusher flag 12 and/or the chain 13 and to an interruption of the production. | {
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Children and adults play a variety of games using a variety of disc-shaped toys including flying saucers, Frisbees, discuses, hockey pucks, etc. These disc-shaped toys take advantage of aerodynamic properties associated with discs. Thus, the flying saucer toy, Frisbee and discus use aerodynamic properties of a disc to travel great distances when thrown in the air with correct spin, trajectory, etc. The hockey puck takes advantage of these aerodynamic properties as well.
Additionally, the hockey puck's disc-shape is advantageous in that it tends to cause the puck to lie flat on ice, and have a smooth sliding action so as to present a stable device for handling with a hockey stick.
However, these disc-shaped toys are not useful for kicking games. Flying saucers, Frisbees and discuses ordinarily do not exhibit the durability required to withstand the stresses of being kicked or handled with a hockey stick. They do not lie flat and slide smoothly and easily on a flat surface. The typical hockey puck is made of hard, dense rubber, but does not slide on non-slippery playing surfaces, such as tile, wood, asphalt, concrete, etc. Therefore, the disc-shaped toys in the prior art are not useful for kicking or hockey games played on non-slippery surfaces.
The disc-shaped kicking toy disclosed herein is distinguished from the disc-shaped toys in the prior art by combining in a unique way the attributes of the disc, a light-weight body, a non-stick material, and a shock absorbing cushion around the periphery of the disc, to form a puck-like kicking toy. Since this toy does not roll like a ball, but rather slides along a smooth, flat surface such as tile, wood, asphalt, concrete, etc., this toy is particularly useful for kicking games, or hockey-like games, played on non-slippery surfaces, in smaller areas, such as interior rooms, or smaller outdoor play areas such as porches, driveways, playgrounds, etc. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus which includes a second housing disposed so as to be rotationally movable relative to a first housing having an image reading portion and electrically connected to the first housing through a cable.
2. Description of Related Art
There is conventionally known a Multi Function Device (MFD) including an image reading portion and an image recording portion. For example, in the conventional MFD, an upper unit having the image reading portion is supported so as to be rotationally movable relative to a lower unit having the image recording portion. Further, the upper unit and the lower unit are electrically connected to each other through a plurality of cables, i.e., a FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) for transmitting image data and a wiring harness for transmitting drive power.
Described in more detail, in a case where the conventional MFD is seen in its upper plan view, the FFC extending from the upper unit passes one portion (a right portion) of the MFD and is connected to a control board in the lower unit. On the other hand, the wiring harness extending from the upper unit passes the other portion (a left portion) of the MFD and is connected to the control board in the lower unit. Thus, without the FFC and the wiring harness extending in parallel, negative effect on the FFC due to electrical noise emitted from the wiring harness can be reduced. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and further, to technology of an optical film, and more particularly, a phase difference film of a liquid crystal display device.
2. Related Art
In recent years, demand for a liquid crystal display device as a flat panel display has grown since the liquid crystal display device has advantages of thinness, lightweight and being capable of low-power-consumption driving. The liquid crystal display has various modes, and liquid crystal displays using a nematic liquid crystal include a twisted nematic (TN) mode, a vertical alignment (VA) mode, an in plane switching (IPS) mode, an optically compensated bend (OCB) mode and the like. Further, a ferroelectric liquid crystal mode and an antiferroelectric liquid crystal mode in which a response speed is faster than in a nematic liquid crystal are also proposed.
In addition, many other modes are proposed. However, when a liquid crystal display is used as a display, phase difference films 701 are provided outside a liquid crystal 702 and substrates 703 as shown in FIG. 12 not to generate viewing angle dependency of transmitted light intensity and a color. Further, polarizing plates 700 are provided outside the phase difference films 701. This phase difference film 701 is also referred to as an optical compensation film or a phase difference plate.
Although it depends on a liquid crystal mode or a liquid crystal to be used, as for a phase difference film that is used for a liquid crystal display, a uniaxial film and a biaxial film may be stacked.
This phase difference film is usually manufactured by uniaxial or biaxial drawing of a plastic film.
As another method, a phase difference film is also manufactured by using a discotic liquid crystal as described in Patent Document 1.
However, these phase difference films are attached to the outside a substrate so that an adhesion layer is necessary for the phase difference films. In addition, TAC (cellulose triacetate) is necessary to protect the phase difference films. Therefore, in order to manufacture a phase difference film, a structure of several layers stacked is employed, and thus, the thickness is submicron, which results in high cost.
On the other hand, it is also reported that a phase difference film is placed inside a liquid crystal cell in order to reduce cost. (Refer to, for example, a Non-Patent Document 1)
This method provides the following advantages; namely, strong film-adhesiveness, more lightness in weight, and the thinner thickness such as 1 μm to 5 μm.
However, this method is a manufacturing method for only a uniaxial film, and a manufacturing method for a biaxial film has not yet been made clear.
In addition, even when the same uniaxial film is used, it is necessary to change the thickness in order to change a phase difference, since a phase difference is usually determined by Δn×d in the case where the birefringence of a phase difference film is Δn and the thickness is d.
In accordance with this method, a phase difference film is placed between an electrode and a liquid crystal that are provided inside a substrate. Therefore, although the thickness of a phase difference film is thinner, namely 1 μm to 5 μm, the thickness of the liquid crystal is 1.5 μm to 6 μm, and thus, there is caused a problem that voltage is not easily applied to the liquid crystal as compared with a case where the phase difference film is provided outside the substrate.
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.: Hei8-50206
[Non-Patent Document 1]
B. M. I. van der Zande et al, SID DIGEST, p 194-197 (2003) | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to characterization of signal integrity on data output paths in a DRAM memory, and more particularly, to characterization of signal integrity on data output paths by bypassing the main array and reading data from a series of registers. The invention applies to a much broader variety of chip-to-chip interfaces, however.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Characterization of a memory interface is a crucial part of the manufacturing process. Certain parameters are set and tested in order to gauge a full operational view of the memory array, and how it operates under different conditions.
Particular design challenges are associated with Input/Output (I/O) signaling. At low speeds, problems generally only occur where transmission lines are especially long. At high speeds, however, even the shortest transmission lines can suffer from problems such as inter-symbol interference and crosstalk, due to high frequency effects.
In order to test memory read signal integrity on a number of data output paths, data patterns are written to the main array, and then read out. As the array needs to be accessed for this read operation, a certain amount of noise will be added, and the data path timing may be limited by the array timing, which makes characterization of the I/O scheme difficult.
It is therefore an objective to perform data characterization of data output paths without having to access the array. | {
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The search for new therapeutic agents has been greatly aided in recent years by better understanding of the structure of proteins and other biomolecules associated with target diseases. One important class of these proteins are the sigma (a) receptors, cell surface receptors of the central nervous system (CNS) which may be related to the dysphoric, hallucinogenic and cardiac stimulant effects of opioids. From studies of the biology and function of sigma receptors, evidence has been presented that sigma receptor ligands may be useful in the treatment of psychosis and movement disorders such as dystonia and tardive dyskinesia, and motor disturbances associated with Huntington's chorea or Tourette's syndrome and in Parkinson's disease (Walker, J. M. et al, Pharmacological Reviews, 1990, 42, 355). It has been reported that the known sigma receptor ligand rimcazole clinically shows effects in the treatment of psychosis (Snyder, S. H., Largent, B. L. J. Neuropsychiatry 1989, 1, 7). The sigma binding sites have preferential affinity for the dextrorotatory isomers of certain opiate benzomorphans, such as SKF-10047, (+)-cyclazocine, and (+)-pentazocine and also for some narcoleptics such as haloperidol.
“The sigma receptor/s” as used in this application is/are well known and defined using the following citation: This binding site represents a typical protein different from opioid, NMDA, dopaminergic, and other known neurotransmitter or hormone receptor families (G. Ronsisvalle et al. Pure Appl. Chem. 73, 1499-1509 (2001)).
The sigma receptor has at least two subtypes, which may be discriminated by stereoselective isomers of these pharmacoactive drugs. SKF-10047 has nanomolar affinity for the sigma 1 (σ-1) site, and has micromolar affinity for the sigma 2 (σ-2) site. Haloperidol has similar affinities for both subtypes.
The Sigma-1 receptor is a non-opiaceous type receptor expressed in numerous adult mammal tissues (e.g. central nervous system, ovary, testicle, placenta, adrenal gland, spleen, liver, kidney, gastrointestinal tract) as well as in embryo development from its earliest stages, and is apparently involved in a large number of physiological functions. Its high affinity for various pharmaceuticals has been described, such as for SKF-10047, (+)-pentazocine, haloperidol and rimcazole, among others, known ligands with analgesic, anxiolytic, antidepressive, antiamnesic, antipsychotic and neuroprotective activity. Sigma-1 receptor is of great interest in pharmacology in view of its possible physiological role in processes related to analgesia, anxiety, addiction, amnesia, depression, schizophrenia, stress, neuroprotection, psychosis and mood disorders [Kaiser et al (1991) Neurotransmissions 7 (1): 1-5], [Walker, J. M. et al, Pharmacological Reviews, 1990, 42, 355], [Bowen W. D. (2000) Pharmaceutica Acta Helvetiae 74: 211-218] and Hayashi, T. et al, Drugs of the Future 2009, 34 (2), 137].
The Sigma-2 receptor is also expressed in numerous adult mammal tissues (e.g. nervous system, immune system, endocrine system, liver, kidney). Sigma-2 receptors can be components in a new apoptosis route that may play an important role in regulating cell proliferation or in cell development. This route seems to consist of Sigma-2 receptors joined to intracellular membranes, located in organelles storing calcium, such as the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, which also have the ability to release calcium from these organelles. The calcium signals can be used in the signaling route for normal cells and/or in induction of apoptosis.
Sigma-2 receptor ligands, specially agonists, can be used as antineoplastic agents at doses inducing apoptosis or at sub-toxic doses in combination with other antineoplastic agents to revert the resistance to the drug, thereby allowing using lower doses of the antineoplastic agent and considerably reducing its adverse effects.
Additionally, Sigma-2 receptor ligands, specially antagonists, can be useful as agents for improving the weakening effects of delayed dyskinesia appearing in patients due to chronic treatment of psychosis with typical antipsychotic drugs, such as haloperidol. Sigma-2 receptors also seem to play a role in certain degenerative disorders in which blocking these receptors could be useful.
Endogenous sigma ligands are not known, although progesterone has been suggested to be one of them. Possible sigma-site-mediated drug effects include modulation of glutamate receptor function, neurotransmitter response, neuroprotection, behavior, and cognition (Quirion, R. et al. Trends Pharmacol. Sci., 1992, 13:85-86). Most studies have implied that sigma binding sites (receptors) are plasmalemmal elements of the signal transduction cascade. Drugs reported to be selective sigma ligands have been evaluated as antipsychotics (Hanner, M. et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 1996, 93:8072-8077). The existence of sigma receptors in the CNS, immune and endocrine systems have suggested a likelihood that it may serve as link between the three systems.
In view of the potential therapeutic applications of agonists or antagonists of the sigma receptor, a great effort has been directed to find effective ligands. Different sigma receptor ligands have been reported.
For instance, WO2007098961A1 describes 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophene derivatives having pharmacological activity towards the sigma receptor.
Spiro[benzopyran] and spiro[benzofuran] derivatives with pharmacological activity on sigma receptors are disclosed in WO2007121976A1.
Pyrazole derivatives presenting a pyrazole group condensed with a cycloalkyl ring have been also reported as sigma ligands in WO2006021463A1.
WO2008055932A1 and WO2008055933A1 deal with 1,2,4- and 1,2,3-triazole compounds, respectively, having activity towards sigma receptors.
WO2009071657A1 also reports tricyclic triazolic compounds having activity towards sigma receptors.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,317,524A discloses substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrazino[1,2-a]indoles and intermediates in the preparation thereof, useful as anti-inflammatory agents, as central nervous system depressants, as analgesics and as anti-convulsants.
In spite of this background, there is still a need to find further compounds that have pharmacological activity towards the sigma receptor, preferably being both effective and selective as well as having potentially good “drugability” properties, i.e. good pharmaceutical properties related to administration, distribution, metabolism and excretion. | {
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This application claims the priority of German patent document 101 26 468.2, filed May 31, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
In slot antennas, rectangular or ridge waveguides are used to guide an electromagnetic wave for the excitation of a slot in a first (broad side) wall of the waveguide.
The polarization direction (that is, the direction of the electric field vector in the far field of the emitted wave) is determined by the direction of the slot, as illustrated in FIG. 1. In the main radiation direction of the slot, which has the reference number 2, the electric far field is situated perpendicular to the slot plane, specifically as an Ey-component. The waveguide, which has the reference number 1, is constructed as a rectangular waveguide. To rotate the polarization according to the prior art, either the slot 2 must be rotated, or a polarizer grid (known in antenna engineering) must be mounted over the slot 2. Both methods have disadvantages: rotation of the slot 2 in the wall of the waveguide 1 results in a phase reversal of the emitted wave in successive slots 2 of a resonance array with a half-wave spacing of the slots, and must therefore be reversed again, so that the effect of a rotation of the polarization direction cannot be utilized in such array arrangements. On the other hand, an additional arrangement of a polarizer grid requires high expenditures and is associated with additional damping losses.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,028,562 A and 6,127,985 A, the rotation of the polarization direction is achieved by means of a cavity with an inlet and an outlet gap, the latter being used as the radiation source. The angle between the inlet and outlet gap of the cavity indicates the angle by which the polarization of the emitted wave is rotated. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that a continuous rotation of the polarization direction is not possible.
The present invention is based on a known slot antenna which has a feeding waveguide extending in the longitudinal direction for guiding an electromagnetic wave, and at least one slot constructed in a first wall of the feeding waveguide for the emission of a portion of the electromagnetic wave guided in the feeding waveguide, with devices provided for rotation of the polarization direction of the electromagnetic wave emitted by the slot.
One object to the invention is to provide a slot antenna which permits a continuous and steady rotation of the polarization direction of the electromagnetic wave emitted by the slot.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a slot antenna which can be produced in a simple and cost-effective manner.
These and other objects and advantages are achieved by the slot antenna according to the invention, which has a feeding waveguide extending in a longitudinal direction for guiding an electromagnetic wave and at least one slot constructed in a broad side of the feeding waveguide for emitting an electromagnetic wave. In addition, on the exterior side of the feeding waveguide, the slot is surrounded by an arrangement for rotating the polarization direction of the electromagnetic wave emitted by the slot. According to the invention, the slot is constructed in the longitudinal direction of the feeding waveguide, and the arrangement surrounding the slot is a rectangular polarizer waveguide. The opening at one end of the polarizer waveguide is connected with the broad side of the feeding waveguide; and the opening at its other end has an aperture which emits a wave that is excited through the slot in the polarizer waveguide. The emitted wave is aligned with respect to the slot such that a transverse axis of the polarizer waveguide forms an angle with the longitudinal axis of the slot. The latter angle represents the angle by which the polarization of the electromagnetic wave emitted from the slot into the polarizer waveguide is rotated.
It is a significant advantage of the slot antenna according to the invention that it can be produced in a simple manner, without additional damping losses.
According to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the polarizer waveguide has a first dimension in the direction of one (first) transverse axis and has a second dimension in the direction of the other (second) transverse axis, the first dimension being larger and the second dimension being smaller than half the free-space wavelength xcex/2 of the emitted electromagnetic radiation.
In this manner, only an H10-wave (with a polarization in the direction of the second transverse axis) which is emitted from the aperture at the extreme end of the polarizer waveguide, with a polarization direction rotated by the angle xcex1, can be moved in the polarizer waveguide without any damping. The H01-wave fraction in the direction of the first transverse axis is damped in the polarizer waveguide down to an insignificant amount.
According to a second embodiment of the invention, the polarizer waveguide has a first dimension in the direction of the first transverse axis and a second dimension in the direction of its second transverse axis, both the first and second dimensions being larger than half the free-space wavelength xcex/2 of the emitted electromagnetic radiation. In this case, an arbitrary xe2x80x9cellipticxe2x80x9d polarization of the emitted electromagnetic radiation can be achieved.
In this second embodiment, the first dimension and the second dimension of the polarizer waveguide may be made identical, and the angle xcex1 of the rotation of the polarization direction is xcex1=45xc2x0. In this case, both fundamental modes H10 and H01 of the polarizer waveguide are excited to the same extent.
According to the object of a further refinement of this second embodiment, when devices are also provided for the phase displacement in order to shift the orthogonally polarized waveguide modes of the polarizer waveguide with respect to one another (which particularly involves a displacement of the orthogonally polarized waveguide modes H10 and H01 by 90xc2x0 with respect to one another), a purely circular polarization of the emitted electromagnetic radiation is obtained. The devices for the polarization-dependent or mode-dependent phase displacement are known in the state of the art.
Preferably, the length H of the polarizer waveguide is greater than one fourth the free-space wavelength xcex/4 of the emitted electromagnetic radiation, which causes a sufficiently high damping of the cross-polarization (H01-wave) relative to the useful polarization (H10-wave). In addition, in this manner the bandwidth of the radiation output can be influenced to a desired degree and can be varied within wide limits. A significant increase of the length H of the polarizer waveguide with respect to one fourth the free-space length xcex/4 represents an increase beyond the extent required for the suppression of the cross-polarization.
According to a further development of the slot antenna according to the invention, the slot or slots constructed in the broad side of the feeding waveguide extend in the longitudinal direction and in the center line of the feeding waveguide.
According to an alternative embodiment, it is provided that the slot or slots constructed in the broad side extend offset in the longitudinal direction and with respect to the center line of the feeding waveguide (offset slots).
Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the invention, the feeding waveguide may be constructed as a ridge waveguide.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the slot antenna is constructed as an array antenna with many slot antenna elements of the same type having respective slots.
The slot antenna can advantageously be produced of a metallized plastic material. | {
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The invention relates to electronic musical instruments, and more particularly to electronic musical instruments provided with a plurality of tone production channels less than the number of keys.
In an electronic musical instrument having an upper keyboard generally often used for melody performance and a lower keyboard generally often used for accompaniment performance, the tones produced by the upper keyboard and lower keyboard are usually different tone colors from each other, with the result that a plurality of the upper keyboard production channels and a plurality of the lower keyboard production channels should be independently constructed. One of the known electronic musical instruments of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,211. The number of production channels provided for the upper keyboard and that for the lower keyboard shall be equal the number of the simultaneous maximum tones to be produced, e.g., around 10, since there are cases when performance is made by both hands using only the upper keyboard, or when performance is made by both hands using only the lower keyboard. However, in general practice, melody performance is made by one hand (right hand) using the upper keyboard and accompaniment performance is made by the other hand (left hand) using the lower keyboard. In this case, both the number of the upper keyboard production channels and the number of the lower keyboard production channels are considerably smaller than the total number of channels (around 1 to 3 channels), and many production channels remain unused.
On the other hand, in an electronic musical instrument which has a single keyboard, it is practiced that the keyboard is divided into the higher tone key range for the melody performance and the lower tone key range for the accompaniment performance, in which tones of different tone colors are produced. In this type of electronic musical instruments, a plurality of tone production channels are provided respectively correspondingly to the melody and accompaniment, and the number of channels for each thereof is not usually so large. This is to prevent wastefulness caused by the presence of unused production channels and to reduce the production cost. However, this involves an inconvenience that when a free performance is attempted, e.g., when multiple tones are to be performed simultaneously by the melody tone color, departing from the limit of expected form of performance, e.g., one tone for melody and simultaneous 3 tones for accompaniment, the performance cannot be made by the electronic musical instrument having only a limited number of melody production channels.
To solve the above problem, an electronic musical instrument was proposed by A. Nakada et al in the preceding application U.S. Ser. No. 182,464 "Electronic Musical Instrument with Plural Tone Production Channels" dated Aug. 28, 1980 (assigned to the same assignee as the present case), in which the relationship between the production channel and key range (or key board) was not fixed but made variable according to the performance mode, i.e., all production channels could be set to produce melody tone through the whole keyboard or the production channels could be used divided between the melody tone (specific key range tone) and accompaniment tone (different key range tone). Since the depressed key information indicating the depressed key is a multiple bit key code, the circuit processing the depressed key information tends to be complex. For example, when tones of each key range of a single keyboard are to be assigned to a production channel group dividing, the key code indicating the depressed key should be fed to the comparator circuit or ROM (read only memory) key detector, and the key range should be detected based on the value of the key code. Accordingly, relatively complex circuits, such as the comparting circuit and ROM, are required. In addition, further data such as automatic bass tone should be generated based on the depressed key information depending on the selected performance mode. In such case, the key code for the automatic bass tone is formed based on the arithmetic operation such as addition of subordinate note calculation data to the key code of root note. Accordingly, the arithmetic (operation) circuit of plural bit data is essential thereby making the circuit composition complex. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to missile systems, and more particularly to multi-stage missile systems having geometrical constraints.
2. Description of Prior Art
Rocket motors tend to be most efficient when they are long and skinny, with ratios of 4:1 to 5:1 length to diameter being in the realm of the most efficient. With ratios greater than 5:1 vibration problems and propellant grain problems occur which reduce the efficiency. For lower ratios the weight of the motor case, particularly the dome plate on the end opposite the nozzle, causes a reduced efficiency.
For conventional fixed site missiles with no geometric constraints each subsequent stage is approximately one-third the weight of the preceding stage and results in a stepped configuration (FIG. 1), each stage with near optimum length to diameter ratios. For missiles which are required to be readily transportable or which are launched from tubes having geometrical limitations, the geometrical limitations result in a missile wherein the ratios for the motors are not optimum. For example, FIG. 2 shows a missile which is geometrically constrained to a fixed length, L, and a constant diameter, D. This missile has two boost stages, with the first stage motor having a 3:1 ratio, close to optimum, and the second stage motor having a 1:1 ratio. The payload is located forward of the boost stages in the length, l.
Within the geometrical constraints imposed it is desired to obtain greater range. In addition to the restraints of length and diameter, the maximum weight sustainable by the transport bed and/or the launch platform must be considered, as well as the size of the payload. | {
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Mechanical tensioner struts are used to absorb or dampen force applied to the strut in a first direction by displacing a first component, to which the force is applied, in the first direction with respect to a fixed component of the strut. For example, struts are used to modulate force and vibration associated with operation of chain systems. A spring for the strut opposes the displacement of the first component in the first direction and the degree of displacement of the first component is a function of the relative magnitude of the applied force with respect to the spring force. Upon release or reduction of the force, the spring displaces the first component in a second direction, opposite the first direction, with respect to the fixed component. It is desirable to eliminate or minimize dampening of the first component in the second direction. That is, ideally, the dampening of the strut is uni-directional only in the first direction.
To maximize dampening in the first direction, frictional forces generated by contact of the first component with other components of the strut are maximized. However, maximizing these frictional forces maximizes forces which lock the first component in a contracted position (displaced a maximum distance in the first direction). If these forces are too great, the spring is unable to displace the first component in the second direction when the force in the first direction is reduced or removed. Further, even if the spring is able to displace the first component in the second direction when the force in the first direction is reduced or removed, the frictional forces may still be present during the displacement in the second direction, resulting in undesirable dampening in the second direction.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,702,266; 6,612,408; 5,951,423; and 4,606,442 as well as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0025869 disclose the use of complementarily angled and mating respective surfaces for components engaged during operations to dampen a force applied in a first direction. Decreasing the complementary angles increases desired dampening. However, to prevent the surfaces from locking together (due to frictional and compressive forces), which would prevent desired displacement in a second opposite direction when the force is reduced or removed, or would result in undesirable dampening in the second direction, the angles must be kept relatively large. That is, if the angles are too small, the engagement of the respective surfaces results in such a large frictional/compressive force holding the respective surfaces in contact that the surfaces remain locked or at least partially engaged when the force is reduced or removed. Thus, the range of operation of the respective devices is undesirably restricted and/or undesired dampening in the second direction occurs. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner used for developing an electrostatic latent image formed in an image forming method, such as an electrophotographic method, an electrostatic recording method or an electrostatic printing method, a toner used in an image forming method according to a toner jet recording method, and a process for producing a toner.
2. Description of the Related Art
As described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,297,691 and 2,357,809, an electrophotographic method is a method for forming an image by uniformly charging a photoconductive insulating layer, exposing the layer, forming an electrostatic latent image, developing the electrostatic latent image by a toner (a developing process), transferring the obtained toner image onto a transfer material, such as transfer paper, via an intermediate transfer member, or without using an intermediate transfer member (a transfer process), and fixing the toner image on the transfer material according to a heating fixing method, a pressing fixing method, or a heating/pressing fixing method (a fixing process).
Since image formation is performed through various processes as described above, the toner for forming a toner image must have functions required in the developing process, the transfer process, and the fixing process.
In general, since the toner receives a mechanical frictional force due to a shearing force and an impact force received during a mechanical operation within a developing device, it tends to be degraded during copying or printing operations for several to several tens of thousands of sheets. In order to prevent such degradation of the toner, a tough binding resin having a large molecular weight capable of resisting a mechanical frictional force may be used. In general, a binding resin having a large molecular weight has a high softening point. Hence, in order to sufficiently fix a toner image in a heat-roller fixing method which is widely being used because of a contact fixing method and excellent thermal efficiency, a heat roller must be set to a high temperature. A high temperature of the heat roller will cause degradation of the fixing device itself, the generation of curl of paper after fixing, and an increase in energy consumption. Furthermore, since such a binding resin also has poor grindability, the efficiency in manufacture of the toner decreases.
As described above, the heat-roller fixing method has superior thermal efficiency because the surface of a heating roller is in pressure contact with the toner-image surface of a transfer material, and therefore is widely used in a wide range of machines from low-speed machines to high-speed machines. In the heat-roller fixing method, however, when the surface of the heating roller contacts the toner-image surface, an offset phenomenon tends to occur in which the toner adheres to the surface of the heating roller and the adhering toner is transferred onto the succeeding transfer material.
In order to improve an offset resisting property of a toner, there have been proposed toners which use a covalent cross-linking resin or a branching resin using a multifunctional monomer, called a cross-linking polymer, or a multifunctional initiator (described in Japanese Patents Laid-Open Application (Kokai) Nos. 3-203746 (1991) and 4-24648 (1992)), and toners which use an ionic cross-linking polymer obtained by strongly bonding a metal oxide and a polymer (described in Japanese Patents Laid-Open Application (Kokai) Nos. 61-213858 (1986) and 6-175395 (1994)). Although the offset resisting property is improved in these toners, the fixability of the binding resin itself is degraded. Furthermore, since polymer molecules are strongly bonded to each other, resin components due to cross-linking represented by tetrahydrofuran-insoluble matter cause difficulty of dispersion of a coloring agent or a charge control agent into a binding resin, and degrade the grindability of a toner mixture during manufacture of a toner.
In general, since the minimum fixing temperature is between low-temperature offset and high-temperature offset, the usable temperature range is between the minimum fixing temperature and high-temperature offset. By reducing the minimum fixing temperature and increasing the temperature of generation of high-temperature offset as much as possible, it is possible to reduce the fixing temperature and to widen the usable temperature range. As a result, it is possible to realize energy saving and high-speed fixing, and prevent the occurrence of curl of a sheet. Since curl of a sheet can be suppressed, it is possible to perform copying on two surfaces, and realize an intelligent copier, precise temperature control of a fixing device, and mitigation of allowance.
For that purpose, a toner having fixability at a low-temperature and an excellent offset resisting property is desired.
Recently, in accordance with spread of use of computer apparatuses for personal users, full-color image communication has been widely utilized as an information transmission mechanism using images. Under such circumstances, full-color approach has also been rapidly adopted in printers and copiers, serving as output apparatuses, particularly in low-grade apparatuses, so that color images are becoming familiar to ordinary users.
In full-color approach, colors are reproduced using toners of three colors, i.e., yellow, magenta and cyan which are three primary colors, or toners of four colors including black in addition to the three colors. For example, an electrostatic latent image for magenta is formed on a photoconductive layer by passing light from an original through a color-separation-light transmitting filter in a relationship of a complementary color with magenta (a latent-image forming process). Then, a magenta toner image is held on a supporting member after passing through a developing process and a transfer process using a magenta toner. These processes are sequentially performed also for a cyan toner, a yellow toner and a black toner. The color toners are superposed on the same supporting member by being subjected to registration, and a final full-color image is obtained by fixing the superposed images.
Particularly in color toners, it is important that the fixed color image is in a state of substantially complete fusion such that the shapes of toner particles can be hardly discriminated, so as not to hinder color reproduction due to irregular reflection of light, and that a color toner is transparent so as not to hinder the color tone of a layer of a color toner having a different color tone present below the first-cited color toner, and that each color toner has a hue and a spectral reflectance in good balance and a sufficient saturation.
Many binding resins are being studied from the above-described viewpoint, and a color toner satisfying the above-described characteristics is expected. Nowadays, polyester-type resins are widely used in the concerned technical field as binding resins for color toners.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application (Kokai) No. 57-124740 (1982) describes that, in order to suppress reaction of free radicals during synthesis of a binding resin, it is desirable to add a hindered-phenol-type antioxidant by a total amount of 0.1-3.0 weight % with respect to a high-molecular polymer.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application (Kokai) No. 1-246560 (1989) describes that, in order to suppress the oxidation of both a toner using a binding resin, and a photosensitive member comprising an organic photoconductor, it is desirable to add a hindered-phenol-type antioxidant by a total amount of 0.01-10 weight % with respect to the toner during mixture of materials before manufacturing the toner by fusing and kneading the binding resin with other materials.
However, the effect of addition of such a hindered-phenol-type antioxidant is not realized in all toners and toner-manufacturing methods. When adding such an antioxidant to a toner having the configuration of the present invention, it is necessary to pay close attention to the amount of addition and the method of manufacturing the toner. | {
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Lots of people enjoy getting out in the wilderness. However, most of them are still attached to their everyday gadgets such as mobile phones, cameras, MP3 players, etc. Most of these devices are driven by rechargeable batteries. Thus, there is a need for a portable charger and power supply capable of charging at least one battery and/or supplying with power at least one portable gadget, without using a conventional electrical power source.
Portable chargers converting light energy obtained from the sun into electrical energy which is to be supplied to a battery for charging it, are known in the art, cf. Korean (KR) patent publication No. 20010003661 and Japanese (JP) patent publication No. 9182315. However, these chargers depend on the local conditions. For example, if the weather is cloudy or in polar areas during winter, the chargers most probably will not work.
Hence, an improved portable battery charger and power supply using alternative energy and adapted for outdoor or wilderness use would be advantageous, and in particular a more efficient and/or reliable portable battery charger and power supply using alternative energy and adapted for outdoor or wilderness use would be advantageous. | {
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The invention concerns a half-bridge circuit, especially for connection of an electric motor in a vehicle.
It is known to control a DC motor with a so-called bridge circuit that permits operation of the DC motor in both directions of rotation. For this purpose, the known bridge circuit has four circuit elements, for example, in the form of power transistors, each two circuit elements being connected in series between ground and the supply voltage and forming a so-called half-bridge. The DC motor is connected with its two terminals to the connection points of the two series-connected circuit elements of the two half-bridges. In this manner, the DC motor can be acted upon by appropriate control of the four circuit elements with a voltage of the desired polarity, so that operation of the DC motor in both directions of rotation is possible. For this purpose, for example, only the high side circuit element is switched in the one half-bridge, whereas only the low side circuit element is switched in the other half-bridge. For pole reversal, the other circuit element is then switched in both half-bridges. It is then important that only one of the two circuit elements is switched in each half-bridge, whereas the other circuit element is blocked, in order to prevent a short-circuit along the half-bridge.
A problem here is the design-related parasitic inductance between the buffer capacitor and the high side or low side circuit element.
A shortcoming in the design of such a bridge circuit with discrete components is also the relatively large space requirements, because of the necessary bending geometries and line tensions, so that the spacing between the low side circuit element and the high side circuit element is relatively large, which leads to a relatively high-inductance connection to the intermediate circuits. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This application relates to devices and systems for optical wavelength-division multiplexed (xe2x80x9cWDMxe2x80x9d) communication systems, and more specifically, to devices and systems for processing WDM signals.
An optical WDM system uses a single fiber link to simultaneously transmit optical carriers of different wavelengths so that different channels of data can be carried by the different carriers and sent over the optical fiber link at the same time. The optical signal in such a fiber link is a WDM signal because it is a combination of different optical carriers at different wavelengths. Hence, a WDM system can provide a broadband transmission and a high transmission speed. Dense WDM (xe2x80x9cDWDMxe2x80x9d) techniques have been used to increase the number of multiplexed wavelengths in a WDM fiber link by reducing the wavelength spacing between two adjacent wavelengths. In addition, a WDM system can be made scalable to allow expansion of the transmission capacity by simply adding the number of optical carriers in the existing fiber links without adding new fiber links.
One of the technical issues of WDM systems is the handling or processing of the WDM signals in a WDM network, including, among others, routing, switching, demultiplexing, multiplexing, adding, dropping, wavelength conversion, and regenerating. Various techniques have been developed or are under development to address these and other WDM processing issues. Some of these techniques use an xe2x80x9copaquexe2x80x9d design in which the optical WDM signals are first converted into electronic form for electronic processing and then are converted back into the optical domain for transmission. The electronic conversion allows many signal processing operations to be performed electronically by electronic circuits and devices, including switching, regenerating, buffering, monitoring the bit error rate, etc.
The opaque systems can use matured and well-established electronic technologies to provide relatively reliable operations and performance. However, the optical-electronic-optical conversion may increase the operational latency and require expensive optical-electronic converting devices. In particular, such conversion is usually data-format specific and must be designed to meet the requirements of existing protocols and data bit rates. Hence, although the converting devices can be designed to accommodate multiple existing data formats but it can be difficult, if not impossible, to adapt the converting devices to new data formats emerged in the future.
One alternative to the opaque design is a xe2x80x9ctransparentxe2x80x9d design where no optical-to-electronic conversion is performed and an optical signal is directly routed or switched in the optical domain. Many conventional transparent systems passively direct each optical carrier at a specific wavelength to a fixed port or a desired port according to a command without changing the properties of the carrier such as the carrier wavelength and the data format embedded therein. Hence, such transparent systems are xe2x80x9ctransparentxe2x80x9d to the protocols and data bit rates of different signals in different optical carriers. In addition, complex and expensive optical-electronic-optical converting devices can be eliminated to reduce the system cost, physical size, and power requirements.
The present disclosure includes hybrid opto-electronic WDM processing systems that combine features of both the opaque and transparent designs to provide scalable and versatile WDM processing capabilities. The scalability of such hybrid systems allows processing of WDM signals with variable numbers of multiplexed channels of different wavelengths and permits receiving and processing of a variable number of WDM signals, i.e., input WDM fibers. The processing functions include, among others, signal detection, signal monitoring, wavelength conversion, signal regeneration, and generation of new WDM channels. The versatile aspect of such hybrid systems allows system reconfiguration to meet different existing application requirements and adaptability to future updates and new application requirements. A reconfigurable modular WDM architecture is disclosed to achieve desired scalability and versatility for the evolving optical WDM fiber communications.
A WDM processing system according to one embodiment may include an optical switching fabric with an array of optical switching elements and a plurality of module slots surrounding the switching fabric for engaging removable processing modules to optically communicate with the switching fabric. Each removable module includes a plurality of receiving or transmitting ports that are optically linked to the respective switching elements in the switching fabric when engaged in a respective module slot. This WDM processing system is scalable because the number of inputs of each input module or the number of outputs of each output module can be expanded up to a maximum number set by the design of the switching fabric.
In one implementation, an input demux module, an output mux module, a laser module with an array of lasers of different wavelengths, and a detector array with an array of photodetectors are engaged to selected module slots. Each of the lasers may be driven by a respective output signal from a photodetector to convert a WDM wavelength or to regenerate a signal at the same wavelength. In addition, each laser may be driven by a control signal to produce a new signal with a new channel of data at a desired WDM wavelength.
In another implementation, one or more arrays of semiconductor optical amplifiers may be placed in one or more module slots. Each semiconductor optical amplifier may be designed to use the semiconductor gain medium to optically produce an optical signal. Such an optical signal may be at a WDM wavelength different from an input WDM wavelength when the wavelength conversion is desired, or an amplified version of an input optical signal when the regeneration is desired, or a new optical signal at a desired WDM wavelength in response to an electronic signal that drives the semiconductor medium. Such a semiconductor optical amplifier may substitute a laser for the wavelength conversion, signal regeneration, or generation of a new signal without converting an input optical signal into an electronic signal. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates to stents, and particularly to bioresorbable stents useful in the treatment of strictures and preventing restenosis disorders.
Tubular organs and structures such as blood vessels, the esophagus, intestines, endocrine gland ducts and the urethra are all subject to strictures i.e., a narrowing or occlusion of the lumen. Strictures can be caused by a variety of traumatic or organic disorders and symptoms can range from mild irritation and discomfort to paralysis and death. Treatment is site specific and varies with the nature and extent of the occlusion.
Life threatening stenoses are most commonly associated with the cardiovascular system and are often treated using percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). This process reduces the stricture by expanding the artery""s diameter at the blockage site using a balloon catheter. However, three to six months after PTCA, approximately 30% to 40% of patients experience restenosis. Injury to the arterial wall during PTCA is believed to be the initiating event causing restenosis and primarily results from vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and extracellular matrix secretion at the injured site. Restenosis is also a major problem in non-coronary artery disease including the carotid, femoral, iliac, popliteal and renal arteries.
Stenosis of non-vascular tubular structures is often caused by inflammation, neoplasm and benign intimal hyperplasia. In the case of esophageal and intestinal strictures, the obstruction can be surgically removed and the lumen repaired by anastomosis. The smaller transluminal spaces associated with ducts and vessels may also be repaired in this fashion; however, restenosis caused by intimal hyperplasia is common. Furthermore, dehiscence is also frequently associated with anastomosis requiring additional surgery which can result in increased tissue damage, inflammation and scar tissue development leading to restenosis.
Problems with diminished urine flow rates are common in aging males. The most frequent cause is benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). In this disease the internal lobes of the prostate slowly enlarge and progressively occlude the urethral lumen. A number of therapeutic options are available for treating BPH. These include watchful waiting (no treatment), several drugs, a variety of so-called xe2x80x9cless invasivexe2x80x9d therapies, and transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)xe2x80x94long considered the gold standard.
Urethral strictures are also a significant cause of reduced urine flow rates. In general, a urethral stricture is a circumferential band of fibrous scar tissue which progressively contracts and narrows the urethral lumen. Strictures of this type may be congenital or may result from urethral trauma or disease. Strictures were traditionally treated by dilation with sounds or bougies. More recently, balloon catheters became available for dilation. Surgical urethrotomy is currently the preferred treatment, but restenosis remains a significant problem.
Recent advances in biomedical engineering have led to the development of stenting i.e., mechanical scaffolding, to prevent restenosis and keep the previously occluded lumens open. There are two general types of stents: permanent and temporary. Temporary stents can be further subdivided into removable and absorbable.
Permanent stents are used where long term structural support or restenosis prevention is required, or in cases where surgical removal of the implanted stent is impractical. Permanent stents are usually made from metals such as Phynox, 316 stainless steel, MP35N alloy, and superelastic Nitinol (nickel-titanium).
Stents are also used as temporary devices to prevent closure of a recently opened urethra following minimally invasive procedures for BPH which typically elicit post treatment edema and urethral obstruction. In these cases, the stent will typically not be covered with tissue (epithelialized) prior to removal.
Temporary absorbable stents can be made from a wide range of synthetic bio-compatible polymers depending on the physical qualities desired. Representative bio-compatible polymers include polyanhydrides, polycaprolactone, polyglycolic acid, poly-L-lactic acid, poly-D-L-lactic acid and polyphosphate esters.
Stents are designed to be deployed and expanded in different ways. A stent can be designed to self expand upon release from its delivery system, or it may require application of a radial force through the delivery system to expand the stent to the desired diameter. Self expanding stents are typically made of metal and are woven or wound like a spring. Synthetic polymer stents of this type are also known in the art. Self-expanding stents are compressed prior to insertion into the delivery device and released by the practitioner when correctly positioned within the stricture site. After release, the stent self expands to a predetermined diameter and is held in place by the expansion force or other physical features of the device.
Stents which require mechanical expansion by the surgeon are commonly deployed by a balloon-type catheter. Once positioned within the stricture, the stent is expanded in situ to a size sufficient to fill the lumen and prevent restenosis. Various designs and other means of expansion have also been developed. One variation is described in Healy and Dorfman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,161. Healy and Dorfman disclose the use of a bio-compatible stent that is expanded by a thermo-mechanical process concomitant with deployment.
Approximately one-third of all patients undergoing surgery, catheterization or balloon dilation to repair bulbar urethral strictures experience restenosis. In these patients the use of urethral stents has provided satisfactory relief from symptoms. (Badlani, G. H., et al., UroLume(copyright) Endourethral Prosthesis for the Treatment of Urethral Stricture Disease: Long-term Results of the North American Multicenter UroLume(copyright) Trial. Urology: 45:5, 1993). Currently, urethral stents are composed of bio-compatible metals woven into a tubular mesh or wound into a continuous coil and are inserted endoscopically after opening the stricture by urethrotomy or sequential dilation. The stent is initially anchored in place through radial force as the stent exerts expansion pressure against the urethral wall. With woven stents epithelial cells lining the urethra begin to grow through the stent""s open weave between six and 12 weeks after insertion, thereby permanently securing the stent.
For most patients this is a one time process without complication. However, some men experience post insertion complications including stent migration, excessive epithelialization, and stent encrustation. In some cases excessive epithelial tissue may be resected transurethrally. In other situations stent removal may be necessary. Depending on the condition of the stent, removal procedures range from a relatively simple transurethral procedure to open surgery with excision and urethroplasty. All complications increase patent discomfort and health care costs.
Recently, a number of bio-compatible, bioresorbable materials have been used in stent development and in situ drug delivery development. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,161 (a thermo-mechanically expanded biodegradable stent made from a co-polymer of L-lactide and xcex5-caprolactone), U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,629 (a bioresorbable urethral stent comprising a terpolymer of L-lactide, glycolide and xcex5-caprolactone) U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,341 (a resorbable urethral stent made from polylactic acid or polyglycolic acid), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,515 (a bio-erodible drug delivery stent and method with a drug release layer).
The bioresorbable stents discussed in these earlier references are all designed and made from co-polymers, which is in sharp contrast to the use of the blending process of the present invention. The blending aspect of the present invention overcomes disadvantages associated with the prior art co-polymers insofar as it is more cost effective than co-polymerization, which typically must be out-sourced by end product stent manufacturers. The blending process also offers greater versatility insofar as the raw materials used in earlier co-polymeric stents were fixed in design and physical qualities. Any changes in the polymer formulation necessary to improve stent performance using a co-polymerization process can only be accomplished by having new co-polymer materials manufactured by the supplier. This often results in excessive delays in product development and significantly increases research and development costs.
Furthermore, co-polymers of L-lactide and xcex5 caprolactone are typically mostly amorphous and may be more susceptible to hydrolytic decomposition than a blend of poly-L-lactide and poly-xcex5-caprolactone of similar composition. Additionally, it is more difficult to maintain consistency in the manufacture of co-polymers than homopolymers, resulting in significant batch to batch variation in copolymers.
Consequently, there remains a need for a self expanding stent with stable and predictable physical characteristics suited for a wide variety of physiological conditions. In particular, there is a need for a stent making process and stent design that can be easily and cost effectively implemented for any number of application requirements.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a blended polymeric stent providing short to intermediate-term functional life in vivo.
It is another objective of the invention to provide a medical device that remains bio-compatible during prolonged intimate contact with human tissue and is fully bioresorbable, thus eliminating the need for costly, painful and potentially damaging post insertion removal.
Furthermore, it is another object of the present invention to provide a medical device that will temporarily restore, or maintain patency of the male urethra while permitting voluntary urination, thereby liberating the patient from catheterization, permitting voluntary urination, and reducing the risk of catheter associated urinary tract infections.
These and other objectives not specifically enumerated here are addressed by a self expanding, bioresorable stent and stent making process in accordance with the present invention, which stent may include a tubular-shaped member having first and second ends and a walled surface disposed between the first and second ends. The walled surface may include a substantially helical-shape of woven monofilaments wherein the monofilaments are composed of a blend of bioresorbable, bio-compatible polymers.
Another embodiment of the present invention may include a bioresorbable stent having a radially self expanding, tubular shaped member which may also expand and contract along its horizontal axis (axially retractable). The stent having first and second ends and a walled surface disposed between the first and second ends. The walled surface may include a plurality of substantially parallel pairs of monofilaments 14 with the substantially parallel pairs of monofilaments woven in a helical shape. The stent is woven such that one-half of the substantially parallel pairs of monofilaments are wound clockwise in the longitudinal direction and one-half of the substantially parallel pairs of monofilaments are wound counterclockwise in the longitudinal direction. This results in a stent having an alternating, over-under plait of the oppositely wound pairs of monofilaments.
Still another embodiment of the present invention may include a radially expandable, axially retractable bioresorbable stent made from a blend of at least two bio-compatible, bioresorbable polymers injection molded into a substantially tubular shaped device. The injection molded or extruded tubular shape device may have first and second ends with a walled structure disposed between the first and second ends and wherein the walled structure has fenestrations therein.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method for producing a stent may include blending at least two bioresorbable, bio-compatible polymers in a predetermined ratio to form a blend and producing a monofilament from the blend by an extrusion process. The monofilament may have a diameter between approximately 0.145 mm and 0.6 mm. The monofilaments may be extruded to a draw ratio of between approximately 3.5 to 5.5, preferably about 4.5. The monofilaments may be braided into a substantially tubular device. Then the tubular device may be annealed at a temperature between the glass transition temperature and melting temperature of the blended polymers for between five minutes and 18 hours.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention and methods of construction of same will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein only the preferred embodiments are shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. | {
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Generally described, computing devices and communication networks can be utilized to exchange information. In a common application, a computing device can request content from another computing device via the communication network. For example, a user at a personal computing device can utilize a software browser application, typically referred to as a browser software application, to request a Web page from a server computing device via the Internet. In such embodiments, the user computing device can be referred to as a client computing device and the server computing device can be referred to as a content provider.
With reference to an illustrative example, a requested Web page, or original content, may be associated with a number of additional resources, such as images or videos, that are to be displayed with the Web page. In one specific embodiment, the additional resources of the Web page are identified by a number of embedded resource identifiers, such as uniform resource locators (“URLs”). In turn, software on the client computing devices, such as a browser software application, typically processes embedded resource identifiers to generate requests for the content. Accordingly, in order to satisfy a content request, one or more content providers will generally provide client computing devices data associated with the Web page as well as the data associated with the embedded resources.
Once the client computing device obtains the Web page and associated additional resources, the content may be processed in a number of stages by the software browser application or other client computing device interface. For example, and with reference to the above illustration, the software browser application may parse the Web page to process various HTML layout information and references to associated resources, may identify and process Cascading Style Sheets (“CSS”) information, may process and instantiate various Javascript code associated with the Web page, may construct a native object model to represent one or more components of the Web page, and may calculate various layout and display properties of the processed content for presentation to a user.
One attempt to improve Web performance and optimization relates to the optimization of content by content providers or third party service providers (on behalf of a content provider). More specifically, in one embodiment, third party service providers can host content on behalf of a content provider in which a third party service provider can implement various optimization tools to improve performance of the rendering or interaction of the content by client computing devices. Such techniques, however, require specific action by the content provider to modify content or engage a third party service provider to host and modify content on behalf of the content provider. | {
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The world-wide growth of spectrally efficient communications systems and the enhancement of their performance has increased the number of individual users and data transmission rates for these systems. Packet-based communication systems whose physical layers are based on multicarrier modulation are commonly referred to as OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) or DMT (Discrete MultiTone) systems. The available transmission channel bandwidth within an OFDM system is subdivided into a number of discrete sub-channels or carriers. Even though these sub-channels overlap, they are orthogonal to each other. Data is transmitted in the form of symbols that have a predetermined duration and encompass some number of carrier frequencies. Systems in compliance with IEEE 802.11a and 802.11g wireless LAN standards are well-known examples of such systems.
The conventional structure of packets in a packet-based data transmission system comprises a preamble, a signal and a data field. The preamble serves to provide boundary detection, channel estimation, carrier recovery. In addition, the preamble serves to initialize the algorithms in the receiver to process the signal and extract the information. The signal field mainly describes the rate of the data and the number of OFDM symbols that follow. Finally, the data field contains the actual OFDM symbols carrying the useful information.
The preamble includes a short and long sequence field, each serving a specific purpose. The short sequence consists of an OFDM symbol repeated two and a half times is used for signal detection, automatic gain control (AGC) setting, coarse frequency offset, and timing synchronization. The long sequence consists also of an OFDM symbol differing from the one in the short sequence. It is repeated two and a half times and is used for channel and fine frequency-offset estimation. Both the long and short sequences have the same duration of 8 μs.
The long sequence X of the preamble is used to estimate the channel frequency response. More particularly, long sequence X is used to estimate the channel where the channel estimation equals:Ĥ=F(FH{tilde over (D)}H{tilde over (D)}F)−1FH{tilde over (D)}V. [1]Vector V is the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) of the convolution of the discrete time channel impulse response h[n] and the discrete time signal sequence u[n]. Matrix {tilde over (D)} is a N×N diagonal matrix, whose diagonal equals the long sequence X. Matrix {tilde over (D)}H is the Hermitian of matrix {tilde over (D)}, wherein Hermitian is the conjugate transpose. Matrix FH is the Hermitian of Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) matrix F.
Long sequence X is known in advance and is transmitted to probe for the channel. Thus, matrix {tilde over (D)} is known in advance. Matrix Q equals:Q=F(FH{tilde over (D)}H{tilde over (D)}F)−1FH{tilde over (d)} [2]Matrix R is a real, Toeplitz and symmetric L×L matrix that equals:R=FHDH{tilde over (D)}F [3]using matrix R, matrix Q reduces to:Q=FR−1FH {tilde over (D)}. [4]Matrix R−1 is a real and symmetric matrix. In addition, matrix R−1 is symmetric along its antidiagonal from its Southwest element to its Northeast element, and is, therefore, persymmetric. A symmetric matrix that is persymmetric is known as a centrosymmetric matrix. Thus, matrix R−1 is a real and centrosymmetric matrix.
Conventionally, matrix Q is precomputed and stored in a read accessible memory (RAM). Thus, when the observation vector, V, is available, only a matrix vector multiplication is necessary to estimate the channel quality. Unfortunately, matrix Q contains N2 complex numbers. Thus, in systems in compliance with IEEE 802.11a and 802.11g wireless LAN standards where for N=64, four thousand ninety six complex numbers must be stored for a 10 bit word length and, as a result, approximately 10 k bytes of RAM are required. The multiplication of matrix Q with vector V requires N2 complex multiplications which are equivalent to 4N2 real multiplications. As a result, a complexity of 16,384 real multiplications exists.
Thereby, a significant complexity exists using the conventional method. More particularly, the number of the tones that are significant when calculating the channel estimation metric are substantially less than the total number of tones. Thus, there is a need for an alternate way of computing the channel estimation metric that provides a more simple, cost effective approach over that which is conventional.
The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of one or more of the problems set forth above. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Seawater systems are commonly used to cool industrial activities that produce heat, such as heat-producing machinery. For example, seawater systems are frequently used to cool engine and engineering equipment on a ship, and seawater systems are also used to cool machinery in power plants and factories located at or near a coastline.
A typical seawater system comprises a seawater intake, a pump, a heat exchanger, and a discharge. The pump is used to draw suction at the seawater intake, and seawater is directed into a heat exchanger where it typically receives heat from another cooling fluid (such as oil, water, or refrigerant) before being discharged back into the sea. Seawater intakes may also be utilized in other applications. For example, where seawater is used as a firefighting agent a seawater intake may draw seawater into a firefighting system or firefighting support system such as a fire main.
One problem known to commonly plague seawater systems is the tendency of the seawater intake to become fouled by the flora and fauna of the sea. When suction is established at a seawater intake, various fish, jellyfish, sea grasses, and other impediments may be drawn into the intake. This fouling of the intake may severely limit seawater flow into the seawater system which, in turn, can lead to potentially catastrophic impacts to systems and machines that rely on seawater for cooling. There is thus a need for improvements in the art of seawater systems to reduce fouling of seawater intakes. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Since the invention of the integrated circuit (IC), the semiconductor industry has experienced rapid growth due to continuous improvements in the integration density of various electronic components (e.g., transistors, diodes, resistors, capacitors, etc.). For the most part, this improvement in integration density has come from repeated reductions in minimum feature size, which allows more components to be integrated into a given area.
These integration improvements are essentially two-dimensional (2D) in nature, in that the volume occupied by the integrated components is essentially on the surface of the semiconductor wafer. Although dramatic improvements in lithography have resulted in considerable improvement in 2D IC formation, there are physical limits to the density that can be achieved in two dimensions. One of these limits is the minimum size needed to make these components. Also, when more devices are put into one chip, more complex designs are required.
In an attempt to further increase circuit density, three-dimensional (3D) ICs have been investigated. In a typical formation process of a 3D IC, two dies are bonded together and electrical connections are formed between each die and contact pads on a substrate. For example, one attempt involved bonding two dies on top of each other. The stacked dies were then bonded to a carrier substrate and wire bonds electrically coupled contact pads on each die to contact pads on the carrier substrate.
More recent attempts have focused on through vias, e.g., through-substrate vias (TSVs). Generally, a through via is formed by etching a vertical via through a substrate and filling the via with a conductive material, such as copper. | {
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This invention is directed to a dust collection system as used in cabinetmaking, carpentry and similar trades, or in any industrial setting in which process dust is generated and needs to be controlled. In some cases, flammable process dust is generated and can create risk of fire or explosion. In the dust collection system, the process dust is directed from dust producing equipment to a dust storage drum and the airflow is separated from the dust is returned to the ambient. In favorable embodiments, the dust collection system may involve a cyclonic dust separator, followed by a HEPA filter or similar final air filter.
The invention is more specifically directed to a dust separator in which the motor that drives the blower or impeller automatically adjusts rotation speed to match the air flow demand and matches the impedance to air flow imposed by the dust producing tools and ducts or hoses to which it is attached, so that the dust separation is optimized. This is most favorably achieved with a variable frequency motor drive and a motor load current feedback control.
The invention is also directed to dust collector systems with a feature for suppressing or arresting flame that may come about by inadvertent ignition of the dust in the process air stream, so as to prevent deflagration and keep flame from igniting dust in the ambient air.
The invention is furthermore directed to a Vee design cyclonic dust collector in which the cyclonic chamber involves a single cone with the intake of air and process dust entering through a penetration in the conic wall, with the process dust separating and descending, leaving the lower nose end of the cone, and with the air leaving the cone through a vortex tube that penetrates a divider plate at the top of the conic body. A fan chamber then is positioned atop the divider plate and conic body, generally rising from the top of the conic body (or slightly outside the radius of the top of the conic body). The fan in the chamber impels the airflow through a ductway to a final filter, and from there the filtered air returns to the ambient. The Vee design of the cyclonic separator has advantages in manufacturing costs and in separation efficiency.
Factories, home workshops, and other operations that utilize cutting tools (e.g., for wood, metal, or plastic) or some other type of debris-producing machinery generally need to incorporate a dust collection or air cleaning system to ensure safe working conditions, quality machining, good air quality, and to satisfy certain government environmental and safety regulations. Typically, debris-producing machines have a vacuum hose attached to a dust port that is located in close proximity to the cutting or grinding operation that is used to entrain and extract the debris, i.e., wood chips, filings and fines produced by the machine. The production dust is carried away through a conduit or flexible tubing and eventually into to the dust collector.
These operations typically have a range of processing tools that are used selectively as needed and are not all operated simultaneously. For example, there may be twelve processing machines where at times just a few, or perhaps only one machine is operated and at other times most or all of the machines may be operated. These machines can require significantly different air volumes and pressures to effectively extract material and entrain debris into the system. They also have a plurality of different dust ports sizes (diameters) and highly variable dust collection requirements. For example, a 20-inch wood planer may have a six-inch-diameter dust collection port and may require 800 CFM at 8 inches static pressure (measured in terms of water column). On the other hand, a small CNC router may require 250 CFM at 23 inches of static pressure measured in water column, and may have a 2½″ dust port. Currently, two separate and independent dust collection systems of different design types would be required to meet these specifications. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for manufacturers to have poorly designed or undersized dust ports integrated into the machine, requiring much higher pressures and velocities than is recommended to meet the best-practice standard.
If the amperage load on the blower motor decreases, the impeller speed would need to increase to restore a full-load motor condition. Alternatively, the inverse is true. If dust conduit lengths are increased or different ports sizes are opened and closed, the motor load changes as well. However, at present it has not been possible to automatically adjust motor speed to accommodate changing conditions.
It is also quite important that velocity of the air in the ducts should not fall below minimum conveying velocities. The need for this is twofold: a) When material is conveyed in a pipe or duct air velocity must be maintained at or above a minimum speed (contingent on the density of the conveyed material) or material will drop out of the airstream, clogging the duct. Larger collectors that collect from a plurality of variable duct and ports sizes are unable to maintain sufficient conveying velocities and lack flexibility of volume and pressure capability to alternate between high volume and low pressure to high pressure and lower volume requirements to overcome higher friction losses in smaller diameter ducts, dust ports and hoses b) Also, air-to-dust ratios (concentration level of air to dust) of finely divided material is an important consideration for combustible dusts in maintaining a mixture concentration that is below the Lower Flammability Limit (LFL) to prevent a hazard of fire or deflagration. Lower Flammability Limit (LFL) is the point of concentration where the dust component of the dust-air mixture is just sufficient to support combustion if a spark or ignition source enters the duct system. For Example, the LFL for finely divided wood dust is 40 grams per cubic meter, or 1.133 g/cu ft. A concentration below 40 grams per cubic meter will not deflagrate or combust.
Problems exist in the current state of the art where a dust collection radial fan blower, of the type used in material conveying systems, delivers a pressure-to-volume characteristic that is a well-defined single function or curve on a X-axis/Y-axis chart, considered where impeller speeds are constant. These radial fan blowers are designed for a narrow band of airflows and pressure ranges. The drawbacks of this design are numerous, as the air flow demand can easily go outside the design airflow band of the blower. This occurs when tools are added to, or taken off the system.
Direct-drive radial fans (which are often used in dust collection equipment) move less air as the inlets and outlets are restricted, resulting in less work performed and less amperage draw on the motor. For example, a motor that is rated with Full Load Amps (FLA) at 20 amperes may only draw 10 amperes after pipe and ductwork is added to the system. In that case, since the motor cannot be electrically overloaded and operate at more than 20 amperes, the system must be set up from the factory to limit current draw in a non-loaded condition. Also, any addition of ductwork or dust conduit reduces the work efficiency of the system. In the foregoing example, the efficiency is reduced by one-half.
System air friction, i.e., air handling losses, increase with longer duct runs, multiple branches, transitions, elbows, smaller dust inlet ports, flexible hose, loading pressure losses across the filter media, and other restrictions. Because of these impairments to air flow, the fan air flow performance is reduced and the work capacity of the system is decreased. Piping or duct systems used to convey waste matter and air to the dust collector are highly variable in the field. For example, tapered main duct designs are used for systems connecting to multiple processing machines. In such a system a multitude of smaller ducts empty into fewer progressively larger ducts as an attempt to maintain a generally constant conveying velocity throughout the conduit system. The system achieves this, in theory, by keeping an equal cross sectional area of the ductwork for each segment that the air passes through. For smaller portable or stand alone applications, a flexible ducting or flex hose is frequently used for the various tools. The flex hoses are connected, in turn, to many dust ports of varying size for the different tools. Any increase in pipe length or decrease of pipe diameters will result in increased friction loss and reduced airflow. The resulting drop in flow efficiency decreases the amperage draw and this reduces the output power available from the motor.
As mentioned before, in any woodshop environment or in any industrial environment where the process dust involves flammable materials, some measure must be taken for suppressing or arresting flame that may result from inadvertent ignition of the dust in the process air stream.
A flame arrester, deflagration arrester, or flame trap is a piece of equipment installed in an industrial process to stop the propagation of a deflagration traveling along a pipeline by extinguishing the flame. Flame arresters are used on storage tank vents, fuel gas pipelines, storage cabinets, the exhaust system of internal combustion engines, Davy lamps and ovenproof drums.
A flame arrester functions by forcing a flame front through channels that are too narrow to permit the continuance of a flame. The reduced heat of combustion extinguishes the flame from a deflagration, not allowing it to exit the device where it could ignite a secondary deflagration. These passages can be regular, like wire mesh, or irregular, such as those in random packing or tight screening where the heat from the flame propagation is conducted to the metal screen or mesh lowering the heat output and containing the flame front.
The problems that the present invention is directed to concerns deflagrations that may occur in dust collection systems that use filters, (typically pleated cartridge filters) and which may result from dust extracted from dust generating tools and processes. Flammable dust in suspension when ignited can deflagrate or burn quickly producing flame propagation radiating out from the source of combustion. The objective here is to eliminate or reduce flame propagation from a deflagration that is vented through a filter (typically a pleated cartridge filter). The embodiments of this invention lend themselves well to cyclone-style collectors (but are not limited to this style) where the cyclone-collected material drops into a collection drum and the separated air flows to a secondary filter and exits to ambient air. The conventional technique employs a semi-passive system where the deflagration has to be diverted through a pressure panel or controlled gate to a flame-quenching or flame-squelching device (i.e., “quelching”). This can be very expensive and complex, requiring gates, dampers, and/or abort gates that have to be timed electronically to actuate within small fractions of a second. Cyclone systems are particularly difficult to adapt to the conventional technique because the flame from a deflagration must be diverted, but at the same time the outlet flow from the system must be simultaneously blocked off. Conventional anti-deflagration systems require complex and expensive sensors and controls, with elaborate engineering control equipment. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention is for inline flow control devices such as pressure regulators and high flow valves that are mountable in a line between a source of pressurized fluid and an object to which fluid under pressure is to be applied.
In Gold, U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,695, there is disclosed an annular piston axially movable in a bore in a body (second piston). The annular piston is resiliently urged to a position to permit fluid flow therethrough from its inlet end to its opposite end and thence through holes in the body. With an increase of pressure at the inlet end of the annular piston, the annular piston is moved toward its closed position.
Lachmann et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,888, has a valve body with lower passages converging to open to a central bore while Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,247, discloses using a key to prevent relative rotation between two parts of a pressure regulator.
In order to make improvements in inline pressure reducing regulators and valves, this invention has been made. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Various seat arrangements known from the state of the art serve for protecting the vehicle occupants during a side impact of the motor vehicle. For example, DE 42 12 091 A and DE 195 16 913 A describe seat arrangements with two vehicle seats that are arranged adjacent to one another. The two vehicle seats can be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and are also guided on transverse rails. The transverse rails make it possible to displace the motor vehicle seat transverse to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle in case a side impact occurs. In such instances, the corresponding vehicle seat of the seat arrangement is displaced toward the center of the motor vehicle in order to prevent the vehicle occupant from being injured by the indented side wall of the motor vehicle.
In addition to the above-described seat arrangements, there also exist seat arrangements that make it possible to transversely displace the corresponding vehicle seat independently of a side impact in order to achieve a particularly flexible arrangement of the vehicle seats within the interior of the vehicle. For example, EP 0 940 288 B1 describes a seat arrangement that has two vehicle seats that can be independently displaced in the transverse or lateral direction of the motor vehicle. To this end, the motor vehicle floor is provided with transverse rails, in which corresponding guide elements of a substructure of the vehicle seats are guided. The substructure furthermore features longitudinal rails, in which guide elements of the corresponding motor vehicle seat are guided. A similar seat arrangement is also described in a DE 60 2004 000 159 T2.
The known seat arrangements for realizing a flexible arrangement of the corresponding vehicle seats have been tried and tested, but still have the disadvantage that a vehicle seat can only be conditionally displaced in the transverse direction because the displacement path is restricted by the other vehicle seat situated adjacent thereto. This means that a particularly flexible arrangement of the vehicle seats of known seat arrangements cannot be realized in the vehicle interior. In addition, the displacement mechanisms of the vehicle seats have a particularly elaborate design such that the installation of known seat arrangements is complicated.
In view of the foregoing, at least one objective exists for developing a seat arrangement for a motor vehicle with a first and a second vehicle seat that has a simple design and also allows a particularly flexible arrangement of the vehicle seats within the interior of the vehicle. In addition, embodiments aim to develop a motor vehicle with such an advantageous seat arrangement. Furthermore, other objectives, aims, desirable features, and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The construction of gutters and the placement thereof against the fascia board of a building structure is well known in the art. Gutters are typically made of a thin extruded material such as aluminum or vinyl and are subject to damage when ladders are placed against them, particularly when workmen or a homeowner climbs up and down a ladder so positioned carrying heavy loads such as shingles or other roofing materials. The pressure exerted by a ladder against a gutter under these conditions typically bends or crushes it, which not only destroys the aesthetics of the guttered roofline, but also may cause clogging of the gutter. Moreover, the bent or crushed portion of the gutter may present an unstable and hazardous ladder position.
Entering and exiting the top of a ladder are considered the most dangerous maneuvers involved in ladder usage and the point where most falls occur. The danger of a ladder sliding laterally along the face of a gutter or slipping out from under a person as he or she steps off the ladder onto a roof or from a roof onto the upper rungs of the ladder is more likely to occur during these maneuvers due to the shifting an individual's weight as the entrance or exit maneuver is executed, and the danger is enhanced even further if the person is carrying a load, such as tools, shingles, or other work materials.
Considerable prior art and products in already in the marketplace exist which attempt to solve these related problems. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,071 issued to Stennett on Oct. 25, 1994 discloses a gutter protecting ladder attachment which fits inside a gutter channel and includes a pair of spaced apart legs and a transversely extending support rod disposed through each of the legs and a hollow rung of the ladder which are designed to provide support therefor. However, the structure of this device is fixed in dimension so that only ladders that are sufficiently narrow in width to fit between the supporting legs may be used in conjunction with it, and it is susceptible to bending and distortion through repeated use. Moreover, Stennett's apparatus is not readily adaptable to gutters of varying configurations, such as OG gutters, box gutters or half round gutters. The adaptability problem is complicated further by the availability of different gutter sizes, typically four, five or six inch depths, depending upon the application.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,848 issued to Travis on Mar. 12, 1996 discloses a ladder mounter gutter protector which fits over an edge of a gutter and rests against the shingles on the adjacent roof. A ladder may be secured to a flat plate or face portion of the device by cords or cables; however, the apparatus of the Travis disclosure does not address the tipping or slippage problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,401 issued to Murray on Mar. 12, 2002 discloses a U-shaped gutter saver and ladder support which fits over the gutter channel and rests against the fascia board to which the gutter is affixed. This device includes a pair of spaced-apart brackets which are positioned to prevent the ladder from sliding laterally. However, the device disclosed by Murray is positioned to rest unsecured over the gutter up against the fascia board and is susceptible to slippage while in actual use.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that a need exists for an improved combination gutter protection and ladder support apparatus which not only meets current safety requirements for ladder support but also which provides a readily movable apparatus for securing a ladder to a gutter while at the same time providing protection for the gutter against damage resulting from the ladder being positioned against it. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a service desk for the registration, booking and/or payment of goods, vouchers and the like, having a service section including, for example, at least a data display device, a data input device and an output device for coupons, receipts and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such desks are known, for example, as check-in counters in airport departure concourses and are arranged in a great number next to one another in so-called check-in lines. It can be observed that, particularly at slack times, only some of the check-in counters are occupied by operators. Long lines then form there, while the unoccupied counters stand empty.
This situation leads to dissatisfaction on the part of the passengers. Many of them travel frequently by aircraft and would therefore be quite able without anyone else's assistance to complete the necessary formalities before embarking on a flight. The present situation is likewise unsatisfactory for the airline, since the high investments for the counters and the data processing equipment is in contrast to only a low degree of use.
A similar problem occurs in the case of goods registration and payment terminals for stores, so-called check-out terminals. Such terminals are known, for example, from supermarkets, where they are arranged in a great number next to one another in the so-called check-out lines. Here too, it can be observed that, particularly at slack times, only some of the check-out terminals are occupied by operating staff. Long lines then form there, while the unoccupied terminals cannot be used.
Here too, many of the customers, who frequently have only few articles to pay for, would be quite able without anyone else's assistance to register the identification of the goods, for example via a bar-code marking, and pay the invoice amount without cash with the aid of a credit card or pay in cash at a central cash desk after receiving a bill. With regard to the degree of use of the check-out terminals, the same considerations apply here for the operators of the store as for the airlines in the case described above.
In German Patent Application 23 39 595 a bulletproof service desk is described, in which a customer's side and an operator's side are separated by a bulletproof glass wall, in which a pass through and under which a turntable with a hollow are arranged. | {
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Children's ride-on vehicles are reduced-scaled vehicles that are designed for use by children. For example, children's ride-on vehicles include a seat adapted to accommodate one or more children and steering and drive assemblies that are adapted to be operated by a child sitting on the seat. One type of drive assembly that is often used in children's ride-on vehicles includes a battery-powered motor assembly that is adapted to drive the rotation of one or more of the vehicle's wheels. Typically, the vehicle will include an actuator, such as a foot pedal, push button or other user input device, which enables a child to select when power is delivered to the motor assembly. Some drive assemblies further include other user input devices, which are operated by a child sitting on the vehicle's seat to select the speed and/or direction at which the vehicle travels. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel heteropolysaccharide, a process for the preparation thereof by microbial fermentation, and to the use of such novel heteropolysaccharide for a number of different applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heteropolysaccharides (biopolymers) are known to this art as high molecular weight molecules containing at least two types of monosaccharides constituting a polymerized base unit.
One of the heteropolysaccharides most frequently used in industrial fields as varied as agricultural chemistry, agriculture, foodstuffs, the petroleum industry, cosmetics, etc., is xanthan gum.
However, in spite of its capabilities, xanthan gum has numerous shortcomings, notable among which is its lack of stability at elevated temperatures, in acid and alkaline media, and in strongly saline media.
Consequently, other heteropolysaccharides have come to be commercially available. Among the latter, the heteropolysaccharide developed by SHELL and marketed under the trademark SHELL-FLO S.RTM. is representative. From analysis conducted on this product, it was determined that such heteropolysaccharide contains units derived from glucose, galactose and salts of pyruvic, succinic and acetic acids.
However, this heteropolysaccharide also has deficiencies, in particular when exposed to elevated temperatures on the order of 80.degree. C. | {
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There are several shortcomings in current video surveillance systems that need to be overcome for widespread use of automatic detection and collection of relevant video data in response to scene stimulus without the need of a human operator present. When viewing a scene from a video camera a large amount of data is generated. The vast amount of data created produces a data reduction problem. Automatically detecting and accurately and reliably collecting image information of a moving object using a motion video camera is a difficult task. This task is made even more difficult when trying to detect, track and maintain camera line-of-sight using a single motion video camera without requiring human intervention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,369 (Abe) describes the use of a camera to detect and track a moving object without using conventional block matching. In the system described in Abe single object tracking is performed only after an object is placed within a frame on a screen; however, there is no user input device for manual target selection. This increases error and inaccuracy as it is sometimes difficult to properly discriminate the object from other objects or distracters within a video signal. Moreover, Abe does not provide for camera movement to maintain line-of-site.
Other prior art solutions provide for image stabilization for a camera in arbitrary motion without object tracking functionality. U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,988 (Burt) teaches electronic stabilization of a sequence of images with respect to one another but provides no tracking facility.
Still other prior art solutions control camera movement to maintain line-of-sight between camera and object but lack arbitrary motion compensation or do not provide for automatic and user selected object tracking. U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,621 (Yu) teaches a method for automatic zooming and automatic tracking of an object using a zoom lens but does not provide for reorienting the camera's line-of-sight. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ceiling fans. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus for keeping ceiling fan blades clean.
2. Discussion of Background
Ceiling fans have long been used to make rooms of homes in warm climates more comfortable. In recent times, ceiling fans have enjoyed great popularity as a design feature of new homes in all climates and, more importantly, as an energy saving feature since a circulating ceiling fan can make rooms more comfortable year round with less reliance on air conditioning and heating. Office buildings and restaurants are often equipped with ceiling fans for energy efficiency.
However, the circulating blades inevitably become dirty and greasy, especially in a kitchen or restaurant. Cleaning the blades requires their removal and washing or washing in place, which can be a time-consuming or inconvenient chore especially if the fan is located in a room with a high ceiling or a room in constant use. Several attempts have been made to eliminate the problem of cleaning the blades. See for example, Hardee's patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,721, and Prucha, et al's patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,572, both for blade coverings. Neither of these devices eliminates all of the problems associated with the chore of cleaning the blades. For example, in the past, cleaning the surfaces of the fan blades required an individual to climb and stand on a step ladder or stool during the entire process. As a result, cleaning was not only a difficult task, but also a dangerous one. Furthermore, both of these devices introduce coverings for fan blades that may detract from the aesthetic appearance of the blades themselves.
There is a need for a method and apparatus for cleaning fan blades that overcomes the problems of the prior art. | {
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In recent years, thermal transfer systems have been developed to obtain prints from pictures that have been generated electronically from a color video camera. According to one way of obtaining such prints, an electronic picture is first subjected to color separation by color filters. The respective color-separated images are then converted into electrical signals. These signals are then operated on to produce cyan, magenta and yellow signals. These signals are then transmitted to a thermal printer. To obtain the print, a cyan, magenta or yellow dye-donor element is placed face-to-face with a dye-receiving element. The two are then inserted between a thermal printing head and a platen roller. A line-type thermal printing head is used to apply heat from the back of the dye-donor sheet. The thermal printing head has many heating elements and is heated up sequentially in response to one of the cyan, magenta and yellow signals. The process is then repeated for the other two colors. A color hard copy is thus obtained which corresponds to the original picture viewed on a screen. Further details of this process and an apparatus for carrying it out are contained in U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,271, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Thermal prints are susceptible to retransfer of dyes to adjacent surfaces and to discoloration by fingerprints. This is due to dye being at the surface of the dye-receiving layer of the print. These dyes can be driven further into the dye-receiving layer by thermally fusing the print with either hot rollers or a thermal head. This will help to reduce dye retransfer and fingerprint susceptibility, but does not eliminate these problems. However, the application of a protective overcoat will practically eliminate these problems. This protective overcoat is applied to the receiver element by heating in a likewise manner after the dyes have been transferred. The protective overcoat will improve the stability of the image to light fade and oil from fingerprints.
In a thermal dye transfer printing process, it is desirable for the finished prints to compare favorably with color photographic prints in terms of image quality. The look of the final print is very dependent on the surface texture and gloss. Typically, color photographic prints are available in surface finishes ranging from very smooth, high gloss to rough, low gloss matte.
If a matte finish is desired on a thermal print, it has been previously accomplished by using matte sprays or by matte surface applications through post printing processors. However, both of these solutions are costly and add a degree of complexity to the process.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,346,502 and JP 09/323482 relate to the use of expandable microspheres in a transferable protection layer area of a dye-donor element. However, there is a problem with these microspheres in that they will not provide a defect-free print with a desired gloss at a low print head temperature.
The transferable protection layer of the dye donor is manufactured by a gravure coating process between the temperatures of 12° C. and 49° C. (55° F. and 120° F.), preferably between 18° C. and 38° C. (65° F. and 100° F.). A coating melt or solution is prepared from a solvent soluble polymer and thermally expandable microspheres or beads and is transferred in the liquid state from the etching of the gravure cylinder to the dye donor support. The unengraved area of the cylinder must be kept free of any accumulation of liquid coating melt such that unwanted transfer of liquid to the dye donor support is avoided. Such transfer leads to undesirable contamination of the dye donor support when subsequent patches of dye are coated.
Inorganic particles such as colloidal silica is added to the surface of the expandable beads during manufacture to prevent coalescence of the oil phase droplets during manufacture and agglomeration of the dry microspheres during storage. The dispersed microspheres typically bear on the surface of the microspheres inorganic particles in an amount of at least 1.8% by weight of the microspheres. The colloidal silica progressively forms a scum on the surface of the gravure cylinder. The scum builds up with time to a point where the coating machine must eventually be shut down and the scummed cylinder replaced with a clean cylinder because of the unwanted transfer of liquid coating melt to the donor web described above.
Materials constituting the coating composition useful for creating a matte finish protective overcoat layer for a thermal dye transfer image are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,184,181 B1, by Lum et al, and subsequently by Simpson et al. in published GB 2,348,509. The materials are combined in a multiple-solvent coating composition, to provide the overcoat layer as a repeating patch in the multicolor dye-donor element containing patches of cyan, magenta and yellow.
A multi-station gravure-coating machine is used to coat the multicolor dye-donor element as well as this matte-finish protective overcoat in sequentially registered patches. Contamination of any of the patches from one color to the next is not desirable for product quality. Any contamination from the protective overcoat layer coating cylinder to an area in the donor element where either the cyan, magenta or yellow dye is to be subsequently coated causes a failure in the making of the thermal dye transfer image. The contamination on the gravure coating process was seen to form fairly rapidly hindering the length of a successful production before interruption for cleaning.
Altering various process conditions is somewhat effective in extending the time between cleanings, but a further and more reliable method for extending the period is a problem to be solved. | {
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Electronic systems, such as microprocessor based computers, typically operate on data that is stored in electronic form in a memory device. The memory device stores the data at specified voltage levels in an array of cells. Conventionally, the voltage levels represent that the data is either a logical "1" or a logical "0." In dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices, for example, the cells store the data as a charge on a capacitor. When the data is read from the memory device, sense amplifiers detect the level of charge stored on a particular capacitor so as to produce a logical "1" or a logical "0" output based on the stored charge.
As the size of memory devices decreases, the capacitor in each cell covers a smaller surface area or footprint on the substrate, chip or wafer. If the structure of the capacitor is left unchanged, these smaller capacitors cannot store as much charge because the storage capacity of a typical capacitor is proportional to the size of its storage electrodes. Unfortunately, at some point, the capacitors become too small to store sufficient charge and sense amplifiers in the memory device are unable to differentiate between charge due to noise and the charge due to data stored in the cell. This can lead to errors in the output of a memory device making the memory device useless in the electronic system.
Conventionally, memory manufacturers have used one of two types of capacitors in DRAM devices. First, many manufacturers use "stacked" capacitors to store data for the memory cell. Stacked capacitors are typically formed from polysilicon and are positioned above the conventional working surface of the semiconductor chip or wafer on which the memory device is formed. A contact couples the capacitor to a transistor in the memory cell. Some manufacturers use "tench" capacitors instead of stacked capacitors. Trench capacitors are typically formed in a trench in the semiconductor wafer or chip. The trench is filled with polysilicon that acts as one plate of the capacitor. In this case, the semiconductor wafer or chip acts as the second plate of the capacitor.
Designers have experimented with various configurations of capacitors, both stacked and trench, to maintain the capacitance as the footprint available for the capacitor decreases. In the area of stacked capacitors, designers have used texturization, stacked V-shaped plates and other shaped plates to increase the surface area of the plates without increasing the footprint of the capacitor. For example, designers have developed techniques to produce hemispherical grains on the surface of one polysilicon plate of the stacked capacitor. This roughly doubles the storage capacity of the capacitor. Researchers have also described techniques for further increasing the surface area of the polysilicon plate, and thus the storage capacity of the capacitor, by using phosphoric acid to create pores in the polysilicon plate. See, Watanabe, A Novel Stacked Capacitor with Porous-Si Electrodesfor High Density DRAMs, Symposium on VLSI Technology, pp. 17-18, 1993. With this technique, it is claimed that a 3.4 times increase in capacitance can be achieved.
One problem with the use of stacked capacitors is their positioning above the surface of the substrate. This positioning can interfere with the proper functioning of the equipment used to fabricate other parts of a larger circuit.
Conventionally, as the footprint available for trench capacitors has decreased, the manufacturers have used deeper trenches to maintain sufficient storage capacity of the trench capacitor. IBM has developed another technique in an attempt to maintain sufficient storage capacity as the footprint of the trench capacitor decreases. This technique uses an anodic etch to create pores in the single crystalline silicon in the trench of the trench capacitor. See, U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,542 (the '542 Patent). One problem with this technique is the lack of control over the distribution of the pores in the surface of the single crystalline silicon. Thus, the '542 Patent does not provide a technique that can be used reliably for large scale production of memory devices.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a realizable trench capacitor with increased surface area compared to prior art capacitors for use in high-density circuits such as dynamic random access memories. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Wireless communications devices, including mobile telephones and other portable radio communication devices, can include internal, embedded antennas or external, protruding antennas. Internal antennas have become increasingly popular at least because of their small size, light weight, and aesthetic advantages (e.g., allowing the device to have a sleek outer design). However, the arrangement of antennas within, for example, a mobile phone can be constrained at least due to the limited space that is available for antenna structures. For example, when mounted inside a mobile device, the antennas are often subject to problematic amounts of electromagnetic interference from other metallic or conductive objects within the device, particularly from a ground plane included within the device housing. To minimize such performance-abating interference, the antenna volume (e.g., a three-dimensional space inside the device that can be occupied by an antenna structure) can include “dead space” or a “keepout” clearance to set the antenna structure a requisite distance apart from nearby conductive element(s). In at least this way, a given antenna structure can occupy more space or volume within the mobile phone than just the physical geometry of the antenna structure.
Moreover, the growing demand for connectivity in an increasingly mobile world, and for high speed, high data rate wireless communications, has resulted in mobile communications devices that have an increasing number of antennas, covering multiple frequency bands and both cellular radio access technologies (RATs) and non-cellular RATs (e.g., Bluetooth®, Near Field Communication (NFC), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN, a.k.a. WiFi), Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks (WMAN, a.k.a. WiMax), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Global Positioning System (GPS), etc.). As a result, the internal antenna volume within a mobile phone is often shared by several antennas situated in close proximity, creating antenna design challenges related to isolation, efficiency, and bandwidth.
Antenna design can be further complicated by the need for interoperability between multiple, cellular RATs as existing technologies evolve, or new technologies emerge in parallel to the existing RATs. For example, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution), UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), and LTE (Long Term Evolution) can be considered evolutions of the same platform and are colloquially referred to as 2G, 2.5G, 3G, and 4G technologies, respectively. CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) can be considered a competing 3G technology that blends into LTE's 4G technology. These different RATs, whether GSM-based or CDMA-based, may require different circuitry components within a printed circuit board of the mobile device. Further, each of the RATs operates within different frequency bands, and each frequency band may be assigned to specific regions of the world and/or specific wireless communications carriers. As a result, global mobile device manufacturers often create carrier, region, and/or RAT-specific versions or variants of their mobile devices to have a presence in various markets around the world. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The presence of particular types of insects in an area can have several adverse affects. The presence of particular types of mosquitoes, for example, may raise health concerns related to Malaria. Similarly, the presence of particular types of agricultural pests (e.g., the light brown apple moth) may raise economic concerns for farmers who might lose entire crops. To address such concerns, it is important for agriculture and urban areas both to have an effective and efficient mechanism for monitoring different types of insects.
Insect control can be more effective when monitoring for a specific insect in a specific location. In California, for example, a new species of insect called the Light Brown Apple Moth has been recently discovered, which could cost the state of California millions of dollars either in lost crops or conflict with the citizens of the state that don't want the area to be sprayed with a pesticide. By using an “insect monitoring trap,” however, one can time pesticide treatment for best results and for reducing the total use of pesticide. A grower may, for example, simply set up monitoring traps in a crop area and watch for pests that might threaten his/her crop.
Although several types of monitoring traps are currently available, these traps generally exhibit many undesirable characteristics. For example, because the housing for most of these traps are made of cardboard, they are typically not durable enough to be used for multiple seasons and must be monitored by viewing the traps through an open end since they are not transparent. Also, because these traps typically require a separate hanger wire, at least a two distinct manufacturing processes are typically required—one for the insect trap housing and one for manufacturing/inserting the hanger wire. Use of such a hanger wire is undesirable since it makes recycling the insect trap burdensome (i.e., because the hanger wire and housing are made of different materials) and also limits the locations onto which the insect trap may be placed (e.g., because the hanger wire must have a clearance greater than the diameter of a placement location). Another limitation of currently available insect traps is the inefficient use of lures (e.g., pherenome lures, which may include “septa” plugs). For example, since current techniques involve placing a lure directly on an insect trap liner (which is usually a “sticky” card), these lures are often prematurely discarded whenever the insect trap liners are replaced (e.g., replacing an insect trap liner every ten days and having to discard the pherenome lure that may last up to thirty days).
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a durable transparent insect trap that could be used for multiple seasons and is entirely recyclable. It is also desirable to provide an insect trap that could be easily placed on locations having diameters larger than the clearance of the insect trap hangers, and then easily removed. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a structure that allows a lure to be placed within the insect trap, yet away from the insect trap liner, so that the lure and the insect trap liner could be replaced independent of each other. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Wireless terminal devices, such as mobile phones, have gradually become an indispensable part in modern life, and currently, demands for wireless terminal devices that support multimode and multiband are becoming more obvious. In the wireless terminal devices, radio frequency paths of different frequency bands share a same antenna, and therefore, a multimode radio frequency antenna switch becomes an important part in a radio frequency front module of the wireless terminal devices.
A single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switch is used as an example to describe a structure of a commonly used radio frequency antenna switch. As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a basic structure of an SPDT radio frequency antenna switch. The SPDT radio frequency antenna switch includes two paths, and each path includes a series branch (M1, M2) and a parallel branch (M3, M4). M1 to M4 are all transistor devices. A branch connecting a signal end and an antenna is a series branch, for example, M1 in the series branch is used to send a signal from a power amplifier (PA) to the antenna. A branch connecting the signal end and the ground is a parallel branch, for example, when M1 in the series branch is conducted, in order to send, to the antenna, a signal at a transmit end from a PA output end, M3 in the parallel branch at the transmit end and M2 in the series branch at a receive end should be in an off state, while M4 in the parallel branch at the receive end should be in an on state, so as to short-circuit a signal transmitted to a low noise amplifier (LNA) input end to ground. A resistor Rs or Rp connected to a gate of each transistor is a gate isolation resistor, which is configured to reduce a leakage current of the gate.
In a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) application, for a low frequency signal in the case of match, a maximum amplitude of an input signal can reach 20 volts (V); however, in a case of mismatch, the voltage amplitude can reach 40 V. As a result, reliability of a transistor device in a branch in an off state is seriously affected due to a limited breakdown voltage Vbreakdown of a transistor.
To solve a reliability problem of the transistor device, a stack manner is generally used in the other approaches, that is, multiple transistors are stacked or cascaded. As shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, FIG. 2A is a schematic principle diagram showing that reliability of a transistor device in a turned-off branch is improved in a stack manner; and FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram showing unbalanced voltage distribution caused by a current leakage from a gate to a body of a transistor in a stack manner. As shown in FIG. 2A, when a transistor at an antenna transmit end, for example, M1 in FIG. 1, is in an on state ON, a sine voltage vTX is input, and in this case, n stacked transistors in a branch at a receive end are in an off state, for example, for M2 in FIG. 1 implemented by stacking n transistors, in an ideal case, a voltage of vTX/n is evenly borne between a source and a drain of each of the n stacked transistors, thereby reducing a voltage distributed to each transistor, and further facilitating improvement of transistor reliability. Each transistor in an off state may be equivalent to two parasitic capacitors Cgs and Cgd being in series connection, and therefore, it is equivalent that Cgs or Cgd of each transistor bears a distributed voltage of vTX/2n. However, due to an actual problem of a manufacturing process of a transistor, a current leakage may exist at a gate and a body thereof, and current leakages at gates and bodies of all transistors are uneven, which causes that voltage distribution among the n stacked transistors is uneven. In this case, even if a value of n is properly selected according to vTX/2n<Vbreakdown, the reliability is still affected. In FIG. 2B, Ig is a gate current, and Isub is a body current. Due to existence of Ig and Isub, from a transistor close to the antenna, source-drain currents Id1 to Idn of the transistors are different. To solve a problem that uneven voltage distribution among the stacked transistors causes poor transistor reliability, a solution is provided in the other approaches. As shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a circuit in which voltage distribution is balanced in another approach. In FIG. 3, a gate of each of the stacked transistors (M1 to MN) is connected to a high-resistance resistor Rg, and the other end of the resistor is short-circuited to a common point G. In addition, a substrate, referred to as a body, of each transistor, is connected to a high-resistance resistor Rb, and the other end of the resistor is short-circuited to a common point B. To overcome the problem that uneven voltage distribution among the transistors cause poor transistor reliability, as shown in FIG. 3, a coupling capacitor (Cgg1 to Cgg(N−1)) or a coupling resistor (Rgg1 to Rgg(N−1)) or a network (Cgg1 Rgg1 to Cgg(N−1) Rgg(N−1)) in which a capacitor is connected in series with a resistor is added between gates of each of the stacked transistors, or a coupled circuit is added between a main signal path (a path formed by cascading M1 to MN) and a bias circuit (a path formed by cascading Rgs or a path formed by cascading Rbs), where the coupled circuit may be implemented using a single coupling capacitor, for example, Cfwd, or may be implemented using a circuit in which a capacitor is connected in series with a resistor, for example, Cfwd and Rfwd.
To solve the reliability problem of the transistor device, another solution is also provided in the other approaches. As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of another circuit in which voltage distribution is balanced in another approach. Because in the a case of a large signal voltage swing, some transistors in a branch in an off state are probably conducted, for example, transistors M1 to M3 shown in (a) and transistors M1 to M2 shown in (b) in FIG. 4. In this way, a large signal swing is distributed to another transistor that is turned off, for example, a transistor M4 shown in (a) and transistors M3 to M4 shown in (b) in FIG. 4. Because the total number of transistors to which the voltages are evenly distributed is reduced, a voltage borne by the turned-off transistor M4 or the turned-off transistors M3 to M4 increases, which causes the reliability problem. Therefore, in solution (a) shown in FIG. 4, a body B1 (B2, B3) and a source S1 (S2, S3) of the transistors M1 to M3 which are close to an antenna end in a branch in an off state are short-circuited, and in solution (b) shown in FIG. 4, a body B1 (B2) and a source S1 (S2) of the transistors M1 to M2 close to an antenna end in a branch in an off state are short-circuited, so that in a negative half cycle of the large signal voltage swing, a junction diode between a body and a source of each of the stacked transistors is not conducted, and more transistors are made to share the voltage; however, a connection between a source and a body introduces an extra signal path to a main signal path.
However, in the foregoing solutions in the other approaches, an extra passive device, such as a coupling capacitor or a resistor, needs to be added, or an extra signal path is introduced to a main signal path, which not only causes an increase of costs, but more importantly, causes the foregoing coupling device and signal path tend to provide an extra transmission path for a signal to be transmitted, thereby causing a signal leakage, which results in performance deterioration such as an insertion loss of a switch. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
FIG. 10A shows a schematic plan view showing a field-effect transistor disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2007-115894. Comb-shaped drain 10 and source 15 are arranged to be engaged with each other. The drain 10 includes a plurality of drain ohmic contacts 10A, and a drain coupling portion 10B for mutually coupling first ends (right ends in FIG. 10A) of the plurality of drain ohmic contact contacts 10A. Similarly, the source 15 includes a plurality of source ohmic contacts 15A, and a source coupling portion 15B for mutually coupling first ends (left ends in FIG. 10A) of the plurality of source ohmic contacts 15A.
A plurality of gate fingers 20A are arranged to regions between the drain ohmic contacts 10A and the source ohmic contacts 15A. A gate power supply wiring 20B couples first ends (left ends in FIG. 10A) of the plurality of gate fingers 20A. The gate power supply line 20B intersects with the source 15. Both the gate power supply wiring 20B and the source 15 are insulated at the intersection portion therebetween.
A gate width of the transistor (gate finger length) is increased or the number of gate fingers is increased, thereby outputting high data.
A transistor having a gate finger is formed onto a semiconductor substrate having a crystal default of a micro pipe. Then, at the intersection position between the gate finger and the micro pipe, the gate finger is easily uncoupled. In particular, upon using a single-crystal SiC substrate on which the micro pipe is easily caused, the probability for uncoupling the gate finger is high. When the gate finger is uncoupled, the amount of current per gate width is varied, thereby reducing the yield. Particularly, the number of gate fingers for high output is increased. Then, the probability for uncoupling the gate finger is increased and the yield is dramatically reduced.
FIG. 10B shows a plan view showing a microwave switch element shown in Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 10-284508. The drain 10 having two ohmic contacts is engaged with the source 15 having two ohmic contacts. The gate fingers 20A are arranged one by one between the ohmic contact of the drain 10 and the ohmic contact of the source 15. That is, the total number of gate fingers 20A is three.
A first gate power supply line 20X couples first ends of three gate fingers 20A, and a second gate power supply line 20Y couples second ends of the three gate fingers 20A. The first gate power supply line 20X intersects with the source 15, and the second gate power supply line 20Y intersects with the drain 10. The gate finer 20A, the source 15, the drain 10, the first gate power supply line 20X, and the second gate power supply line 20Y are arranged to be point-symmetrical to each other. The arrangement obtains a microwave switch element having symmetrical switching characteristics.
FIG. 10C shows a planar pattern upon applying the gate finger coupling structure shown in FIG. 10B to the field-effect transistor shown in FIG. 10A. One end (right end in FIG. 10C) of the drain coupling portions 10B in the gate fingers 20A is coupled to the second gate power supply lines 20Y. The gate power supply wiring 20B corresponds to the first gate power supply line 20X. The second gate power supply line 20Y intersects with the drain 10.
With the structure shown in FIG. 10C, even if one gate finger 20A is uncoupled at one portion thereof, a gate voltage is applied to a portion on the drain 10 side, rather than the uncoupling portion, via the second gate power supply line 20Y. Therefore, desired transistor characteristics can be maintained.
In the field-effect transistor shown in FIG. 10C, the gate power supply line 20Y intersects with the drain. Therefore, the number of parasitic capacitance between the gate and the drain is increased and preferable high-frequency characteristics cannot be maintained. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Semiconductor laser modules (which have a semiconductor laser, etc.) are usually employed as signal light sources for optical fiber communications, particularly trunk lines and cable television (CATV), or as pumping sources for optical fiber pumps. In order to realize high output and stable operation, such semiconductor laser modules have a semiconductor laser, a photodiode chip, optics such as a lens, a thermistor, etc., which are arranged at predetermined positions on a metal plate mounted on a thermo-control module capable of controlling temperature in dependence on the magnitude and direction of current conduction.
FIG. 8 shows a conventional semiconductor laser module having a thermo-control module incorporated therein. As shown in the figure, the semiconductor laser module 101 has a thermo-control module 103 mounted on the bottom plate 102 of the package through a lower joining solder portion 110. The thermo-control module 103 has a metal plate 105 mounted thereon. The metal plate 105 is provided with a carrier substrate 106, a semiconductor laser 107, a condensing lens 108, etc. The lower substrate 104a of thermo-control module 103 and the package bottom plate 102 are joined with the lower joining solder portion 110. The upper substrate 104b of the thermo-control module 103 and the metal plate 105 are joined with an upper joining solder portion 111. In the conventional semiconductor laser module, the lower substrate 104a of the thermo-control module 103 and the bottom plate 102 of the package are joined with solder consisting of an alloy of 63 wt % (weight-percent) Sn and 37 wt % Pb, and the lower joining solder portion 110 is formed. As shown in FIG. 1C, there is also a semiconductor laser module 1 having no internal thermo-control module.
However, the conventional optical module has the following disadvantages. That is, when joining the thermo-control module 103 and the package bottom plate 102 with solder, load is applied while melting the solder, but since the way of applying this load is not constant, the joining solder portion 110 is not uniform in thickness, as shown in FIG. 8. If the joining solder portion 110 is not uniform in thickness, it will be deformed due to a change in the temperature of the environment where the optical module is used, or a change in temperature when manufacturing the optical module. This deformation causes, for example, positional misalignment between the optical component 108 and optical fiber 109 optically aligned through the joining solder portion 110. As shown by an alternate long and short dash line, an error occurs in the axial alignment between the optical component 108 and the optical fiber 109 and causes a reduction in a coupling efficiency with an optical fiber and degradation of light output.
In addition, in a thin portion of the joining solder portion 110 (indicated by reference numeral 112), cracks are caused to occur in the joining solder portion 110 by thermal stress resulting from a difference in thermal expansion rate between joined members (e.g., the lower substrate 104a and bottom plate 102 in FIG. 8) during a change in temperature. As a result, a reduction in the joining strength and a change in the light coupling efficiency are caused. Furthermore, it is preferable to use lead-free solder that is environment-friendly.
The above-described conventional optical module is shown in Japanese Laid-Open Publication Nos. 2000-323731, 2000-280090, Hei 7-128550, and Hei 11-295560. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
At the present time, respirators with double source of energy (electric and pneumatic), principaly used in hospitals, have an alarm system for signalirg malfunctions connected either directly with the operation of the respirator, or with physiological disturbances of the patient which prevent him/her from receiving the ventilation furnished by the respiratcr. This alarm system, most often actuated by a spirometer placed on the patient's breathing circuit, is electronic, the respirator being actuated electrically and/or pneumatically.
On the other hand, up to the present time, emergency respirators with single source of energy, used in ambulances, do not possess an alarm system. The reason for this resides in that, for this type of respirator, it is very important that the alarm system be entirely pneumatic. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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